Return to Generation
by Mystic Blossom
Summary: After the death of Belialvandemon, several women are being attacked...on the throat. As the Digidestined uncover more and more secrets about Vandemon's past, they began to realize that all was not as it seemed four years ago.
1. Night of the Digidestined

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. This is just a fanfic. Please don't sue my ass off.

Author's Note: This takes place approximately one month after Digimon 02 ended. I'm trying my best to use only the Japanese names and references. I may, however, make a mistake. If so, please e-mail me at shinigami86@hotmail.com. 

And so the fic begins…

Vandemon sat in his carriage, eyeing his prey. She was tall, beautiful, and completely unaware of his intentions. 

"Ah, the sweet smell of fear," he said. "Human blood always tastes better with a drop of fear in it." The woman turned around. Vandemon's carriage stopped in front of her. He got out, smiling at her. The woman couldn't look away. His gaze was too powerful, too handsome…

His fangs pierced her neck. There wasn't a thing she could do about it as she sank to the ground. Vandemon casually tossed her body to the ground. He was about to get back into the carriage, when a noise made him turn around. There was a rustling in the bushes. Out crawled a little digimon. She had hair as red as her eyes, black wings, claws, and fangs just like Vandemon. She crawled over to the unconscious woman on the pavement and leaned over to look at her sleeping face. Her tiny hands caressed her cheek. She looked up at Vandemon with adorable, questioning eyes. 

"She's not dead," he said. "Don't worry yourself so much, Shikumon."

She licked her lips. Vandemon raised his eyebrow and smiled. "You want some? Just don't go overboard. We can't have any dead bodies lying around, now can we?"

Shikumon shook her head slowly, the bent down over the woman's neck.

Four years later…

Hikari and Tailmon raced to the kitchen for breakfast. 

"Mine!" Hikari yelled as she grabbed the toast just as it popped out of the toaster.

"Aww! You always get it before me! No fair!" said Tailmon. Then she laughed and got the other piece.

"Hey, did you guys see this?" Taichi asked from the living room. 

"What is it?" asked Hikari, walking over to the TV set. 

"Shh…" Taichi silenced her. The anchorman on the news spoke. 

"Over the course of the past few nights, several women have been struck with what doctor's call "sudden anemia." The same epidemic hit Odaiba several years ago, and authorities have yet to decide if they are related."

Taichi stared at the screen intently. Then he turned to Hikari. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.

"Vandemon," she said, nodding.

"How can it be?" Tailmon asked. "He's dead."

The reporter continued. "Several witnesses claim to have seen the figure of a young girl leave the scene. If anyone has any information, they are urged to contact this number immediately."

Tailmon's eyes grew wide. 

"Do you think it's him?" Hikari asked her.

"No, it couldn't be. It's gotta be someone else."

"A poser," Taichi said thoughtfully.

"Probably." Tailmon shrugged. "C'mon Hikari! Let's go!"

Tailmon waited outside with Patamon and V-mon once she and Hikari got to school. 

Takeru was waiting for Hikari next to his desk. He looked up as soon as she came over. 

"Did you hear about the…"

"I heard," she said quickly. 

"Do you think it's…"

"Let's hope not."

"But all those girls being attack," Takeru said. "It's just like last time."

"Oh yeah," said a voice. "It happened before, didn't it?"

Hikari and Takeru looked up. Their classmate, a naïve girl named Kyoko Ginju was smiling at them vaguely. "I heard it happened like, four years ago. A bunch of ladies were attacked right here in Odaiba, weren't they?"

"Yeah, but they don't know if the attacks were related," said Hikari.

"Did they ever find out who was doing it the first time?"

"No," answered Takeru.

Kyoko jumped up. "Then the criminal still roams the streets! A vampire who lures young ladies to his side, just like that really bad horror movie!"

"Do you believe in vampires, Kyoko?" Hikari asked. 

"Do I? That's a good question. It could be a vampire, but it could also be some deranged psycho with a fork. But if it is a vampire then…"

"Then what?"

"Then it would be so amazingly dramatic! Just like a romance novel!"

Takeru and Hikari were rendered speechless. 

"What?"

"It's just…not very romantic. I mean, this guy's sucking women's blood," Takeru said, laughing. 

"Well, in all the books I've read, the vampires drink the blood of women cause it's like…love for them." She looked up dreamily. 

"Love?" Hikari said skeptically. 

"Well that's what the books say! Give me a break, I just read them."

"Ok, ok. Calm down, Kyoko."

"Hey, where's Daisuke?" Kyoko asked, looking around.

"Oh, I don't think he's here yet," said Takeru. 

"Really? Such a shame. I was hoping to talk to him."

"About what?"

"Things. I really don't think it's any of your…oh! Daisuke!"

Daisuke smiled at Kyoko. "Hey, what's up?"

"Up? Oh, nothing." She looked away and sat at her desk, staring fixedly at the board.

"Kyoko?"

"Huh?" She jumped in her seat.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"I suppose I did," Kyoko said, nodding. She turned back to the board.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What were you going to say to me?"

"Oh, that's all in the past. Water under the bridge, you know. Get over it, Daisuke. The world doesn't revolve around you."

"Well, you know there's a festival tomorrow night."

"Is there?" 

"Yeah, so do you wanna come with me?"

Kyoko stared at him for a moment. Then she blinked. "Are you asking me out on a date?" she asked. 

He nodded. "I guess so."

"Will there be kissing involved in said date?"

"There could be."

"So that leaves it as optional?"

"Yes. Yes, it does."

"I'm in!"

Daisuke, Hikari, Miyako, and Takeru sat under a tree, eating lunch. Koushiro walked over to them, carrying a pocket computer. 

"Did you hear about the…"

"We heard," they all said at once.

"I think it might be…"

"Vandemon," the four of them said together.

Koushiro sighed and sat down. "I've been following this situation. He's struck three time already. First in the park, then at the docks, then in the park again. If we're lucky, he'll attack at the docks tonight. I'm organizing a stakeout. Who's with me?"

When all of them looked as though they were going to speak, Koushiro raised a hand to silence them. "I only need one. The less people that come, the less likely we are to be noticed. Everyone else should have their D3's on the alert."

"Who else is coming?" asked Hikari.

As soon as Koushiro said "Ken," Miyako began jumping up and down yelling, "I'll go! I'll go!"

"Calm your hormones, girl!" Daisuke said.

"Ken…so fluffy…so warm…so…"

"Creeped out, I'll bet," Takeru whispered. Hikari sniggered.

Miyako and Hawkmon arrived at the docks just before 11 PM that night. Koushiro and Ken were already waiting for her with Wormmon. 

"Anything yet?" she asked, panting.

"Nothing. But the women weren't discovered until after midnight."

"But we have school tomorrow!" she whined.

"I thought you knew we'd be up late," said Ken. "Why did you come?"

"Uh…no reason." Miyako blushed. 

"I think I see something!" Koushiro whispered urgently.

"Is it a vampire?" a voice said from behind them. They jumped. Kyoko was standing behind them. The vague smile never seemed to have left her face. She was carrying a bag of groceries.

"Hey, aren't you Daisuke's friend?" asked Miyako. 

"So I am," she said, kneeling down. She took a meat bun out of her bag and started munching on it. "Whatcha doing?" Her mouth was completely full.

"Nothing," said Koushiro.

"Lookin' for vampires?"

"Ye…I mean no. Something else."

"Oh." Kyoko took another bite out her meat bun. Then she noticed Hawkmon and Wormmon on the floor. "Oh how cute!" Kyoko picked up Wormmon, who remained completely still, and nuzzled his face.

"Um…what are you doing?" asked Ken.

"It's a sleepover! How positively adorable! You brought your stuffed animals and everything!"

"Yeah, ok. That's exactly what we're doing. Now go away."

"Seems like a weird place for a sleepover."  
"Look," said Miyako, getting irritated, "you wanted it to be a sleepover, and it's a sleepover. We're busy doing our sleepover stuff. Thank you, and goodnight."

"You're looking for that murderous attacker, aren't you?" she said, ignoring Miyako's irked voice. The three of them cringed.

"Why would we want to do a thing like that?" asked Koushiro, sweating a little.

"You and your little gang of friends have been talking about it all day." She sighed dramatically. "I offered my services, but nobody ever pays much attention to me…"

"Services?" Ken asked.

"I'd throw myself to the vampire in the name of justice!"

"Uh, that's not…"

Kyoko stood up. "You people go on your little vampire hunt." She yawned. "I'll see you in the morning."

Before anyone could stop her, Kyoko was humming to herself as she strolled away.

The night before had been a dead end. Koushiro, Ken, and Miyako had found no trace of whoever was attacking the women. But there had been an attack, just not in the place they thought it would be.

"Tossed by the side of the road?" Hikari asked.

"Her head was injured. It's the first victim they found that had been hurt in a place other then her neck. But they thought that a car or something might have been coming and so the attacker was in a hurry."

"But she's still alive?" Iori said, hoping to be assured. 

"Yeah, she's fine. Just cut up a little. Like the rest," Miyako said sympathetically.

"I don't understand it," Koushiro said. The keys on the computer were tapping furiously. "Why did he break the pattern?"

"To throw us off?" Takeru suggested.

"Maybe." Koushiro rubbed his chin. "But he might have known we would be there."

"Why hide from us?" Patamon asked.

"He's done it before," Tailmon pointed out. "He's always been a coward."

"We've killed him three times already! How many times do ya gotta kill that guy before he dies!" V-mon pounded his fists.

"Let's be reasonable," said Hikari. "I mean, we're not completely sure it's him. It might not even be a digimon."

"Who else would it be?" asked Armadillomon.

"Well," said Takeru, "there's Kyoko's theory of a crazed lunatic with a fork."

"Isn't Kyoko's mind…not all there?" asked Hikari.

"It's there. But it's almost like someone forgot to turn it on all the way," said Takeru, laughing. 

"Isn't she that girl we saw last night?" Koushiro asked.

"Yeah," said Miyako. "She was kinda annoying."

Takeru elbowed Daisuke. "Daisuke's got a little crush on her," he announced.

Miyako raised her eyebrows. "So Daisuke's finally got his sights set on someone besides Hikari!"

Daisuke was about to defend himself, when the bell rang to signal the beginning of class.

That night, Daisuke was getting ready for the festival when the doorbell rang. He could hear his sister Jun all the way from his room.

"You must be Daisuke's new girlfriend! Wow that kimono is ABSOLUTELY adorable! Did your mom make it for you?"

"Er…no," he heard Kyoko say.

"Well sit back! Relax! Watch some TV! I'll go bother…er…get Daisuke for you!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Daisuke stalked out of his room, wearing a blue kimono. He looked at what Kyoko was wearing. Her kimono was black with white stars all over it.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You…you look really pretty."

She smiled. "Thank you."

V-mon shoved Daisuke in the shins.

"Ow!"

Kyoko looked up. "Hmm?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Well then, shall we go?" Jun asked.

"Yeah." Daisuke leaned over to pick up V-mon, who remained as stiff as a board. Kyoko eyed him curiously.

"I never realized stuffed animals were so popular these days," she said pleasantly.

"What? Oh, I mean, yeah."

She nodded. "Maybe I should start bringing stuffed animals to school."

"Stuffed animal?!" V-mon was muttering under his breath.

"Did you say something?"

"Wh-what makes you say that?" asked Daisuke.

Kyoko shrugged. Jun led Kyoko and Daisuke down the dark street. Daisuke held V-mon like a doll, doing his best to keep the blue creature at bay. 

Once they arrived, Jun went off to work at one of the booths…and possibly flirt with a few boys on her way there.

Daisuke turned to Kyoko. "What do you want to do first?"

She looked around. "Play an exciting childlike game," she answered, staring at a ring-toss game. 

"Um, ok!" Daisuke set V-mon on the ground and took Kyoko's hand in his. She stared at him in surprise, blushing slightly. Then she noticed V-mon lying on the floor. 

"Should you really leave him there?"  
"V-mon? Who would take him?"

"A group of rampaging children."

"I'll take the risk. What's life without risks?" He laughed nervously and began to walk towards the ring-toss game, dragging Kyoko with him. 

"So," Daisuke said, looking at the collection of prizes on display, "which one do you want?"

She pointed to a black teddy bear with a blue ribbon around its neck. "That one." 

After several attempts, Daisuke was still unable to throw the ring around the post with the bear above it. Kyoko stood quietly behind him, watching him curiously.

"Can I give it a shot?" she asked him.

"Um…sure." Daisuke handed her the last of his rings. She stared at the post for a moment, then threw the ring clear around it effortlessly.

Daisuke gawked. Kyoko smiled. "I suppose this means I win?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess it does."

Kyoko bowed graciously. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything." Daisuke was blushing furiously.

She giggled. "You paid for the rings."

"Well, I mean, uh…no problem."

The vendor handed the bear to Kyoko.

"He's so adorable!"

Daisuke looked at the other prizes she could have won. There were green bunnies, pink birds, and yellow horse. Compared to the other animals, the bear could hardly be described as "cute." It was more traditional then anything, Daisuke decided. 

"Now I have my own stuffed animal to carry around! Should we introduce him to V-mon?"

"Not right now. Are you hungry?"

Kyoko looked concerned for a moment but then she nodded.

"Jun's running a food stand. We could hack some food off of her."

They walked off, leave V-mon to watch them from the bushes.

"I'm happy for Daisuke, I really am." V-mon sat on the ground, surrounded by Tailmon, Patamon, Armadillomon, Hawkmon, and Wormmon.

"He's in denial," whispered Wormmon.

"It happens a lot," said Tailmon.

V-mon looked up. "What?"

"Sooner or later, a lot of Digidestined become attractive to a human who isn't a Digidestined. It happens, and it usually goes away quickly. So don't worry."

"I'm not worried! I…I…" he leaned over and started bawling. "It's not fair! It's just not fair! Why don't I get a stuffed bear? Why does SHE get one?"

"Because if he gave you one you'd fall over?" suggested Armadillomon.

V-mon started to cry harder. Hawkmon patted him on the back with his wing. 

"There, there. Don't get so worked up. In any case, you wouldn't be able to do much of anything if Daisuke carried you around. You'd have to be perfectly still, like a stuffed animal."

Tailmon stretched out her legs and grinned. "Too bad the rest of you don't blend in as well as me!"

"Cheer up, V-mon. The rest of us are stuck here too. But I brought…lollipops!" His tiny hands proudly displayed six huge lollipops. In a few seconds, they were all licking them happily, except for V-mon, who was still sniffling slightly.

Daisuke and Kyoko stood on a bridge, away from all the hustle and bustle of the festival. Kyoko was so busy staring at the stars, she didn't notice that Daisuke was staring at _her_.

"So, how long have you lived in Odaiba?" she asked him, bringing him out of his daydream.

"Oh, since I was like, four, I think. I'm not sure. What about you? I mean, you just came to school at the beginning of the year."

"We moved here a week before school started."

"Where did you move from?"

"Okinawa."

"Oh."

The silence that followed was rather awkward. But it was broken very quickly by a large explosion in the sky.

Everyone at the festival suddenly stopped his or her activities when the sky seemed to open up. Takeru grabbed Hikari and they ran over to the bush where the digimon were waiting.

"Where's Daisuke?" V-mon asked frantically.

"Over there, I think," Takeru said, pointing towards the bridge. Come on!

"Stay back, Kyoko," warned Daisuke as Icedevimon came down from the sky. He approached them, wearing a wicked grin on his face.

"Little Digidestined," he teased, "just what are you doing here? You know it's very dangerous at night. All sorts of _monsters_ can come out and GRAB YOU!" His arm extended towards them, ready to grab. But Daisuke managed to pull himself and Kyoko to safety. Kyoko trembled softly.

Just then, Hikari and Takeru appeared with Tailmon, Angemon, and XV-mon.

"Daisuke, get Kyoko out of here!" yelled Takeru.

"I'm not interested in you," Icedevimon said in a final voice. "I have come for one thing and one thing only." His eyes fell towards Kyoko, who was staring at him with absolute fear. Daisuke took her hand to calm her. She was shaking uncontrollably.

"Don't play these games with me," said Icedevimon coldly. "I'm not in the mood for your tricks." He struck again with his fist. Kyoko rolled over quickly just in time.

"What do you want with me?" she said, her voice little more than a whimper.

"Don't make me look bad, dear. It would be very embarrassing if I attacked the wrong child, but I know you're the right one."

"I have a feeling you're more than a stuffed animal." Her voice was shaking violently.

He laughed. It was as cold as the icicles that were now blaring from behind him. He aimed them straight at Kyoko, but XV-mon intercepted them just before they hit her.

"Take her and get out of here, Daisuke! Hurry!"

Daisuke nodded, dazed, and stumbled over to Kyoko. Together, they ran off, both of them struggling to stay up.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Icedevimon said. Angemon had cornered him.

"Speak for yourself."

"I didn't come here to deal with you."

"It seems your plans have changed. Back to the Digiworld where you belong, or I'll do something that I'll regret later."

"You'd rather just kill me now, wouldn't you?"

"Tell us what you want with Kyoko!" yelled Hikari from a safe distance.

"That's really none of your business."

Tailmon slashed his face. Icedevimon stepped back in pain.

"She's our friend. You're not going to hurt her without getting past us!"

Suddenly, Icedevimon began to laugh. He looked up at Angemon, who hadn't changed his stance. 

"I'll take your advice, Angemon. Farewell, for now. I suppose she can't fall into my grasp with so many people protecting her. Take care of the newest Digidestined, because she'll need her strength for when I come back."

And, with a flash, he was gone. 

"Newest Digidestined? He's not talking about Kyoko?"

Hikari shrugged. "Beats me. But we'd better find them anyway."

"Fill me in," Kyoko said when they finally stopped. "Who _was_ that?"

"Er…remember my stuffed animal?"

"Yeah…?"

"They ain't so stuffed anymore."

"Oh…that's very…interesting." Kyoko smiled vaguely one last time, and then fainted in Daisuke's arms.


	2. Acting Principal Mikado Kashimi

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I wish I did, but I don't. So please don't sue me. I'm flat broke, anyway. The only characters that are mine are Shikumon, Kyoko, and Mikado.

Note: As before, I will use the Japanese names, but am liable to make a mistake. If you get confused on who a character is, feel free to post a comment or e-mail me. (shinigami86@hotmail.com). 

Right, then. Let's get started, shall we? I wasn't going to write this until I got some reviews. But then I thought, hey, who cares? I want to write this story, and if people don't want to read it, forget them! But, ah, that doesn't mean that reviews aren't always appreciated. Heh. Hopefully you'll find the plot more developed by the end of this chapter. 

And Daisuke, the henchman of my website, would like to point out that I finally gave him someone to go out with.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"Of course she is. She's just a little shocked, and she got a bump on the head."

Kyoko awoke to the sounds of people talking. We're they real people, or just her imagination? Who cared? She groaned.

"Oh! She's awake!" Daisuke said. He helped her head up and propped it against the couch's armrest.

"Are you all right?" Hikari asked.

"'M ok."

"You sure?"

"Sure. How long was I out?"

"Almost an hour," said Takeru.

"My, time sure does fly when you've been knocked out. I should be getting home now." She stood up and walked slowly out the door. A few seconds later, she spoke from behind it. "'M ok."

"You walked into a closet," Daisuke said.

"Right, then." She opened the door and walked out of it, her feet swaying this way and that.

"I think I should walk you home, Kyoko."

She grinned blissfully at Daisuke and pinched his cheeks. "That is so sweet! You're such an adorable little monkey!" 

Daisuke blushed. He linked her arm in his and led her towards the front door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow," he said to Takeru and Hikari before he left.

They walked for a moment, then Daisuke stopped. "Um...where do you live?"

"Just let me lead," she answered.

"Are you SURE you're ok?"

She shrugged. "As ok as I'm going to get after being attacked by a giant ice monster."

"Yeah, about that…I think I owe you an explanation…"

"No you don't."

"Yes, I don't really think there's much of an argument there."

"Ok, you do. But I've got enough riding over for me right now. Everyone told me Odaiba was weird. My parents said all the monster sightings were just huge hoaxes."

"Yeah, ok, well that's not true."

"Daisuke?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I've figured that out."

They reached Kyoko's house in silence. Daisuke noted there wasn't a car in driveway. Then he reminded himself it could just as easily be in the garage.

She pulled a key out from her pocketbook and unlocked the door. "Thanks for the bear." She was still clutching it. "I'll see you soon." Daisuke nodded and just before Kyoko went inside and closed the door, she kissed him on the cheek.

Nobody had to be told that the next day was a meeting. They all pretty much figured that something was up, and whatever it was, the one place they would find answers was definitely the Digital World.

"Everybody ready?" Miyako asked. 

"Since when do you get to be the leader?" Daisuke asked, pushing her out of the way and putting himself in front of the computer.

"Jerk! Quit it!"

"Make me!"

"Quiet!"

Takeru had stepped between Miyako and Daisuke. "Look, could you guys quit arguing for like, two seconds?"

"I don't think Miss Fangirl here understands the situation!" Daisuke screamed. "Something's after Kyoko and I want to know why! In the meantime, there's also a killer roaming the streets at night, and it might very well be an enemy we've already killed THREE FREAKIN' TIMES!"

"Daisuke, calm down…"

"I AM CALM! I'M PERFECTLY CALM!"

Ken took out his D3 and walked up to the computer. He held it up, activating the gate, grabbed Wormmon, and was sucked inside. 

Miyako ran to the spot where he had been standing. "He dropped his haaaaaaat!" she screeched. Nobody said anything as she swooped up Hawkmon and held up her D3. "I'm coming, Ken! Digital gate, open!"

The argument was obviously over, so the rest of the team took their Digimon and went through the gate. When they arrived, they saw Miyako cheerfully arranging a hat atop a rather annoyed Ken's head.

"So, where to first?"

Takeru spoke up. "I think we should try and find Leomon. He knows a lot about the DigiWorld; he might be able to tell us more about Vandemon and if it's him that's attacking everyone."

"Well, ingenious plan," Daisuke said sarcastically, "but there's one teensy-weensy little problem: how are we supposed to find him?"

"I remember he lived somewhere around this area…we could ask around."

"Ask around…this guy's pure genius…" Daisuke rolled his eyes. 

"Well, if you don't like it, you can find him yourself!"

"Hey, no need to get all cranky!"

They walked on for what seemed to Daisuke to be hours. Actually, it was only five minutes, but according to Daisuke, who was counting? All he knew was that it was late, and he wanted to eat lunch.

"It's only ten o'clock," Ken said. Daisuke groaned.

They found two small Digimon picking berries. "Leomon?" one of them said when the Digidestined asked. "I think he's in the woods. I just saw him a few hours ago."

"Thanks," said Tailmon. She led the way through the woods, and they finally saw Leomon patrolling around.

"Leomon!" shouted Patamon. He smiled and walked over to them. 

"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw the looks on their faces.

"We think Vandemon is back."

Leomon sat down. "Why do you say that?"

One by one, the Digidestined and their Digimon sat down. "Well," Iori said, "for starters, there's the fact that several women have been attacked, just like the last time."

"But that's impossible," Leomon said. "Vandemon's dead."

Takeru nodded. "Yeah, that's what we said the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that."

Leomon scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Then the women were attacked on the neck?"

They nodded.

"That's Vandemon's style. And while he may have been a coward, he certainly wouldn't attack in such an obvious way without making his presence known first. I don't think it's him. It could be, but there is another…" he trailed off.

"What? Another what?" Ken asked.

Leomon shook his head. "It's just a legend. Some Digimon believe that Vandemon had an…accomplice."

"Oh, he had lots," Tailmon said bitterly. "Like me, for example."

"No, not like that. They say that Vandemon created a Digimon who was…"

"CREATED a Digimon?" Ken asked.

Leomon raised his eyebrows. "Not out of other Digimon, but out of pure scratch, I think. I'm not sure. It was supposed to be made in his likeness. The original story has been bogged down by rumors, and so I don't know what's true or not. But one thing is always the same: the Digimon was always called Shikumon."

He paused for a moment, as if the name was meant to instill fear into the hearts of Digimon and Digidestined alike.

"What did it look like?"

"There are many stories. Those who claim they have seen it seem very foggy about what it looked like, more than likely they just made it up to sound important. Occasionally you'll meet a Digimon who runs and hides at the sound of the name. I personally don't know what to make of the story. If Vandemon did have a successor, he did a good job at keeping it a secret."

"Tailmon," Hikari asked, "do you know anything about this?"

Tailmon shook her head. "Then again, he kept a lot of secrets from his lowly henchmen."

"Thanks for your help, Leomon," Takeru said, standing up.

Leomon nodded. "My pleasure."

The Digidestined and the Digimon all thanked Leomon, unaware they were being watched by someone who went by a certain name…someone who was known as Shikumon.

"There's another festival coming up. If you'd uh, like to go with me…"

Kyoko's face brightened. "Sure! Kimono this time?"

Daisuke shook his head. "No, it's a school festival."

She took a sip of her juice. Kyoko always ate her breakfast before school started. "Do you really think it's a good idea for me to be out there after…the other night?"

Daisuke rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, ok, we run that risk. But I just really thought you might like to do something together." He paused. "Um…did you tell your parents what happened the other night?"

"Why would I? Do you think they'd believe me?"

"Are they the kind of people who need to see something before they believe it?"

"Not even that. If it can't be explained by science, it simply isn't real. That's what my dad used to say."

"Oh, this can."

Kyoko tilted her head to the side. "How?"

"Oh, uh, well…at least I think it can. Science isn't exactly my best subject. You'd want to go to Koushiro Izumi for that."

"I don't want an explanation. I just want a guarantee that I'm not going to be killed."

"I think that can be arranged."

She sighed. "Alright, then. But you have to swear."

"I swear."

"On your mother's grave."

"My mother's not dead."

"Alright, then. Your great-great-grandmother's grave. I'm fairly certain she's dead."

"So what'll happen if I brake this promise? Will she like, rise from the grave and spank me?"

"Um…I'm not sure."

He shrugged. "I swear on the graves of all my relatives that if you die at the festival, may they rise from the grave and send me to my room with no desert."

Mikado Kashimi was a respectable man. He walked with a stride in his step. They said that Odaiba wasn't safe at night, but he was fine. It was unsafe for women, not men, like him.

The way he walked was very consistent. His briefcase was in one hand and when he walked, he swung his arms back and forth, back and forth. He took care to make sure that they didn't extend too far, as that would make him look like and idiot. He was a handsome man, but still very respectable.

Then there was a scream. It wasn't Mikado's scream. How could it be? Whoever was terrorizing the town wouldn't come after him. No, it was definitely a woman. He paused for a moment, pondering on where it came from. The park. Near the playground. No, near the fountain. It didn't matter. He ran anyway.

When he finally found her, it was too late. The woman was alive, but unconscious, and her attacker was gone. No chance of playing the hero. Oh well. 

"Damn," he muttered. He took out his cell phone and began dialing, but then he heard something. It was in the bush, and the bush was rustling. He closed his cell phone without bothering to finish dialing, and walked up to the bush. Nothing there. No, that wasn't right. He walked through it, trying to keep himself aware of his surroundings. He paused for a moment, listening for any unnatural sounds. And at this time of night, just about any sound was unnatural. 

Then it happened. Something jumped from the tree above him, growling and screaming. Whatever it was, he didn't get a good look at it, as it jumped right on top of him. It had claws that dug into his back, and he cried out in pain as it sent him to the ground. By the time Mikado opened his eyes, all he could see was the park, which showed no sign of anything out of the ordinary. He looked up. Vaguely he could see a red blob in the sky. But he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything. His respectable suit was ruined, his briefcase had been tossed to the side and had snapped open, papers flying everywhere and his cell phone had been crushed. 

Mikado managed to bring himself to his feet. Breathing heavily, he leaned against a tree. 

"If that's what I think it was…" he managed to say, "then we're in a lot of trouble."

Takeru ran down the hallway. Usually, he didn't run, but for some reason he was running today. Maybe he was in a hurry, maybe he was scared of something, or maybe if he hadn't been running, he wouldn't have run into Mikado Kashimi. 

"Geez, sorry," he said. Some papers had fallen on the floor. He picked them up hastily, then handed them back to the man he had bumped into.

The man was smiling. "That's alright, but you know, you shouldn't be running in the halls."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Um…have we met?"

"Hmm? No, I don't think so. I'm the acting principal, Mr. Kashimi. I'm sorry, that's PRINCIPAL Kashimi." He laughed. "I'll never get tired of saying that."

"Acting principal? Where's our old principal?"

"He's on a much needed vacation. He's not as limber as he used to be. If all goes well for him in his mountain resort, it may become permanent."

"Wow…" Takeru felt stupid, but what else was he supposed to say?

Acting Principal Kashimi nodded. "Don't let me keep you. Where were you going?"

"To meet my friends."

"Are you going to the school festival?"

"Yeah," he said.

"That's nice," said Acting Principal Kashimi. "I hope to see you there."

He walked off, there was still a stride in his step. There always would be. 

Ken sat at the computer, typing away furiously. "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

"Are you sure?" Wormmon asked. 

"Positive. I checked Vandemon's information, and it doesn't mention a Digimon named Shikumon anywhere. Then I tried to find out if there was a Shikumon anywhere at all in the Digital World."

"Is there?"

"Not according to the DigiWorld's database. So unless we can find this Shikumon ourselves, we'll have to start from square one."

"That doesn't sound like a lot of fun."

"It won't be." Ken groaned. "Our best bet is to try and track this monster down ourselves. But we've tried that before."

"Maybe if all of you went this time it could work."

"Maybe. Whatever we're dealing with, it probably has SOMETHING to do with Vandemon. I don't know what, but I have a bad feeling that he's not really gone."

Acting Principal Kashimi…he liked the sound of that. It had a sort of ring to it that he could get used to. Be he couldn't, because sooner or later, either the old principal would come back and Mikado would be out of another job, or the principal would decide not to come at all. In that case, Acting Principal Kashimi would become Principal Kashimi. That sounded better. Principal Kashimi, Principal Kashimi. A guy could get used to that. 

Mikado walked around the park. Whatever he had seen the night before, he had a feeling he would see it again tonight. 

And he did. Well, he didn't see it at first. What looked like silver streaks came from nowhere, pinning him against a tree. His head snapped down and when he looked up, there was a girl standing there. She had hair as red as her eyes, black wings, claws, and fangs just like Vandemon once had.

"You're the one that's been following me." She smiled. "You seem to be in love with pain." Shikumon walked over to him. She ran her finger down Mikado's neck. He could feel her breath on his neck, and her nail felt like it could pierce his skin. 

"You walk around at night like a scavenger. It's inhuman."

Shikumon laughed. A shiver ran down Mikado's spine. "Do I look human to you?"

"No, you look like a Digimon, Shikumon."

She stared at him. "Say that name again…"

He looked away. Her nail, which had been stroking his neck gently, now dug itself into his flesh. He yelled out in pain. "Say it again," she whispered. 

"Shikumon."

She looked at him suspiciously. Then she licked the drop of blood from his neck. "Who are you?" she asked him. 

Mikado looked at Shikumon defiantly. "Mikado Kashimi."

"Mr. Kashimi, then. I was going to make it easy on you. But now I think that I should have a little bit of fun. Don't you think so?"

"I think you're a sick freak."

She shrugged. "How do you know my name?"

"I have my ways of finding out these things, Shiku-"

Shikumon slapped him across the face. "Don't call me by that name. EVER."

"Why not?"

She smiled. "If you know my name, then you know perfectly well why I don't like it." She waved her hand, and the silver spikes binding him to the tree trunk flew into her hands. 

"I don't know how you found out, and frankly, I don't care. I just have one thing to say: stay away from me, don't meddle where you're not wanted, and we'll get along just fine."

And with that, she flew off into the night sky. Leaving Acting Principal Mikado Kashimi to walk home in the darkness.


	3. Spiraling Down

Disclaimer: Not mine. Mostly. Kyoko, Shikumon, and Mikado are. No steal. That bad. 

Notes and Such: Why would I need this? I really don't have much to say. There has been almost zero respond for this fic, but I don't care. I'll just keep writing now. 

"There is, of course, one issue we haven't dealt with," Koushiro rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Who?"

"Kyoko."

"Well, sure," Daisuke said, "she's probably certifiably insane, but I don't think that's a reason to worry about her."

"No, not that. Although that is a…" Koushiro shook his head vigorously. "Never mind. Don't you remember what happened the other night? Don't you remember who Icedevimon was after? And what he said about Kyoko?"

Miyako sighed. "I find it hard to believe that someone as weird as Kyoko could ever be a Digidestined."

Daisuke pulled his finger out of his nose. "Huh?"

"Then again…" Ken stifled a laugh. 

"I say we go to the Digital World, find Icedevimon, and make him talk!" proclaimed V-mon.

Tailmon rolled her eyes. "Yeah, great idea. 'Hey, Icedevimon, what's the deal?' Sure, he'll be really intimidated." Her eyes brightened. "Actually, that might work."

"I think we should explore other options first," said Koushiro. "And besides that, our main problem is defeating Vandemon."

"But we might need Kyoko's help!" said Daisuke. 

"The first thing we need to do," Ken said, "is find out if this Shikumon is real."

They all stared at him. From the looks on their faces, Ken could tell that the thought hadn't even occurred to them.

"I mean, come on. You guys haven't even considered the fact that Vandemon might not be behind this. Don't you remember what Leomon said? Shikumon was supposed to have been made in Vandemon's likeness." 

"But it's just a legend," argued Iori. "Or a rumor."

"I still think it's worth investigating."

"Fine Ken," Daisuke waved his hand vaguely. "Go, do your research. Meantime, the rest of us will go and actually get stuff done."

"Who said research isn't getting stuff done?"

"I did!"

"Cut it OUT!" Hikari screamed. "You people are acting like children!"

Daisuke backed off sheepishly. Ken turned his head to the side and mumbled a quiet apology. 

"Good," Hikari nodded. "Now, tonight we're all going to the school festival, and we're all going to have a good time, got that?"

Takeru and his mother wove through the crowds that night. Masses of students and their families had come to enjoy the festival. 

"Takeru Takahashi?"

It was Acting Principal Mikado Kashimi. 

"Oh! You're the…the…guy!" Takeru strained to remember what he had called himself.

"That's one way of putting it," Mikado said. "And you must be Takeru's mother."

"Yes, and you are?"

He bowed. "Acting Principal Mikado Kashimi."

"Right, ok." She shook his hand. "Have we met?" she asked with uncertainty.

"I don't believe so."

"Wahoo! Got another one! That makes three games in a row this time, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" Daisuke began, but Kyoko cut him off. 

"Hey, Takeru!" she called out. "Come here and celebrate with us! I'm the queen of water guns!"

"Um, excuse me," Takeru said hastily to the two adults, who were now staring at the girl with mild curiosity.

"I don't believe I've seen her around," said Kashimi. 

"Oh, that's Kyoko."

"Kyoko? Hmm, is she in your class?"

Takeru looked at him for a moment.

"Well, you can't expect me to know everyone. Does the girl take medication?"

Takeru laughed. "She looks like she'd need it, doesn't she?"

"What's her last name?"

"Ginju. She moved here at the beginning of the school year."

He nodded. 

"Get your lazy butt over here, Takahashi!" Kyoko was nearly jumping out of her skin. 

He ran over, waving his arms helplessly. Mikado raised his eyebrow with interest.

Takeru's mother tilted her head to the side. "Are you sure we've never met?"

"I'm almost positive. We might have bumped into each other somewhere, but I don't think that counts."

"You look oddly familiar."

He shrugged. "I get that a lot. Your son makes the strangest of friends, I must say."

"I think your mom's flirting!" Kyoko squealed. 

"What?" Takeru gave her a look. "She's not!"

"Who's that guy?" Daisuke asked.

"Oh, that's Mr. Kashimi. He's the temporary principal. So stand up straight. He might give you detention or something."

Then Kyoko laughed. It wasn't so much of a laugh as a big, loud "Ha!" The two boys turned to look at her. Her face was extremely red. "Sorry," she mumbled. 

"Didn't you say your parents were coming?" Takeru asked. 

"No. I said they MIGHT come. Emphasis on MIGHT."

"I don't think we'll ever get to meet them, will we?"

"Well, you might eventually. I'm pretty sure I saw them this morning. But I've heard they're just a legend made up to scare little children."

Takeru laughed. It was a snort. A REAL laugh, one might say.

"Any more games I can cream the competition at?"

"You like goldfish?"

"Who doesn't?"

"You like watching them flop around on a paper disk?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Then have I got the game for you."

She stared at the huge tank, filled with small fish. Kyoko was fighting a strong urge to plunge her hand into the cold water. 

Daisuke handed her a little pedal. "You put this in and try to catch a fish on it. If it stays on, then you win the fish."

"Easy enough." She dipped the pedal into the water, then when a fish swam over it, she pulled it up as quickly as she could, before the fish could swim away.

"Ha! I got…it," she finished with disappointment, because the paper supporting the fish broke and it fell back into the water.

Kyoko's face fell. "That's cheating. Lemme try again."

It didn't work. She went through five pedals before she decided that perhaps she needed a different strategy. 

"You're too rough. If you're tense, and you go too fast, then the paper loosens and breaks."

The three of them turned around. Acting Principal was beaming down at them, as he would have done to his brightest students.

"Then you do it gently?" Kyoko asked, eyeing him curiously.

"I can show you."

She held out the pedal. "All yours, sir."

He kneeled down and gently dipped it in, then pulled it up swiftly but gently. The fish stayed on. 

"How'd you do that?"

"Gently. Care to give it another shot, Miss Ginju? That's your name, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Actually, I sorta gave up on that game."

"Gave up?"

"It got boring."

"Because you kept losing?"

"C'mon, Kyoko!" Daisuke urged. "Give it one more try!"

"Once more, then that's it. If Mr. Principal can do it, then so can I."

"Mr. ACTING Principal," he corrected automatically. 

"Whatever." She grabbed another pedal, and kneeled down beside Kashimi. Kyoko stared at the water. It swirled around with the fish. She looked at Takeru and Daisuke. They smiled encouragingly. Then she turned to Kashimi. This guy couldn't be the principal. There was no way. Principals were supposed to walk around, yelling at everyone. They didn't act like him. No sane person acted like him. So happy, so cheerful, so much like a child. 

"Time to grow up, Kashimi."

"Grow up?"

"You're not my friend, you're my principal."

"I like to keep the emphasis on 'pal.'"

She stood up. "Well, don't. Please, I just…I can't concentrate. Not with you looking at me like that."

He frowned. "How am I looking at you?"

"Like you know me."

"The child is rough, she doesn't know how it's done."

"I know. Go away."

Shikumon grinned. "Make me."

"I hate you," Kyoko looked at the creature with disgust.

"Poor, poor princess. Daddy's little girl. Where are the parents? They're away. Are they coming back? Nobody knows."

Kyoko grabbed for her. She couldn't reach her. She could never grasp the monster that was Shikumon, not in this state.

"I'm free, darling."

"We need to put you back from where you came from." 

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't work that way. I don't work that way, do I?"

"Stop talking like that."

"I speak the truth," Shikumon whispered. "I like to hide. I like to run. Try and catch me."

Kyoko woke up in a cold sweat. In the distance, a cat meowed.

"Chiri…" she muttered. "Don't scare me like that."

Daisuke came into the classroom. Kyoko was sitting at her desk, sipping a juice box. She looked less cheerful than usual.

"You ok?" he asked her carefully. "After last night and all…"

"'M ok. Rough night."

"It's a shame your parents never showed up."

"Yeah."

They sat for a few moments in silence, which was only broken by Takeru. He slammed the morning newspaper on Daisuke's desk.

"ANOTHER one!"

"Woah, you're kidding. The masked marauder strikes again."

"It's not funny anymore. This one was nearly dead when they found her. If this keeps up, who knows what might happen?"

"Ah," Kyoko said thoughtfully. "The vampires grow ravenous."

Takeru looked at her uneasily. "Kyoko, I know you think this is some big joke, but just stay out of it if you're not going to provide something meaningful to the conversation."

"Takeru…" Hikari began. 

Kyoko stood up. "No, he's right. I'm out of juice. Be right back."

She rushed down the hall. Shikumon's words were still fresh in her mind. She hated it when she dreamed about that monster. 

"I wanted to apologize for last night."

She jumped. It was Kashimi.

"Apologize?"

He nodded. "I overstepped my boundaries."

"No, you didn't. You were just being pal-ish. I was very jerky. Not in a good mood at all."

"You looked cheerful enough."

"I always look cheerful. I like being cheerful," Kyoko said. 

"It's good for the soul," he agreed.

The bell rang. Without even saying goodbye, they both turned to go to their respective destinations.

"No," Kyoko muttered quietly when Kashimi had gone, "it helps me pretend that I have one."

"We're going Vandemon, hunting, Vandemon hunting, Vandemon hunting! We're going Vandemon hunting, a hunting we shall go!"

"God, could you stop singing, V-mon?" Miyako rubbed her forehead in pain.

"Can't stop! Too much sugar! Too much adrenaline. Time to kick some butt!"

"I'm not picking up anything," said Ken.

"Well keep looking."

They peered their heads slowly around the corner. Nothing but the dark night and a cool breeze met their eyes. 

"Isn't it a little late?"

The voice caught them by surprise. All of the Digidestined and their Digimon found themselves falling on top of each other. 

"Sorry about that," said Kashimi. 

"You!" Daisuke gasped. "The fish guy!"

"Principal Kashimi," Takeru muttered to Daisuke. "His name's Principal Kashimi."

"Right, I knew that."

"What are you kids doing out here?"

"Nothing."

"Looks like something."

"Well, it's not."

"Are those…stuffed animals?"

Daisuke looked horrified. "M-maybe. So what if they are? You've got nothing on us!"

"They're Digimon," Kashimi said softly.

"So what if…WHAT?"

"He knows what Digimon are," said Hikari. 

Kashimi leaned casually against a pole. "So, you kids are the Digidestined."

"He knows we're the Digidestined." Hikari's voice sounded slightly more panicked. 

"I know you're looking for the one who's been attacking people."

"He knows a lot."

Tailmon stepped foreword. "Is it Vandemon?"

"Possibly."

"Do you even know who Vandemon is?" Iori asked him. 

"I've heard of him."

"Have you heard of Shikumon?"

Daisuke rolled his eyes. "Oh, give it a rest. Shikumon's not real."

"I've heard of Shikumon," said Kashimi, "but all legends have a basis in fact, I suppose."

"How much fact?" asked Takeru skeptically. 

"You'd be surprised." Kashimi stared into the endless void that was the street at night. "There's something out there, something that wants to be left alone. And it's good at hiding. You'll never be able to find it unless I give you a hand. I know the way the world works."

He started walking. When nobody followed, he turned around impatiently. 

"Aren't you coming?" he said to their blank faces. 

"Wait, you just expect us to follow you?" asked Daisuke. 

"Actually, yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Why? What kind of question is that? I know what's out there, Mr. Motimiya, but I'm not the one who can stop it, I can only guide you through it."

He led them down the street. Ken leaned over to Daisuke and whispered in his ear. 

"What's this guy's deal?"

"Oh, he's the principal at our school."

"No, I mean, how does he know so much about Digimon?"

"I don't know. Hey, maybe he was one of the original Digidestined!"

"It's possible, I guess. How do we know that we can trust him?"

"Well, there's one of him and fourteen of us."

"Good point…I guess."

Kashimi stopped for a moment. "I heard a scream."

"C-could mean a lot of things," stammered Miyako from behind his back.

"Could mean Shikumon," he said. 

"But I thought you said Shikumon wasn't real."

"I never said that."

"You implied it."

He raised his eyebrow at Miyako. "You're the odd one, aren't you?"

"I resent that."

"Just…never mind. C'mon, it came from this way."

It was the park again. Shikumon liked it there. She liked to hide in the trees and the shadows. 

"When I give you guys the signal," he whispered, "run."

He listened for a moment. For what, he didn't know. But any sign of movement meant that they had to act fast. 

He stood, his hand clenched behind his back. A rustle. He opened his hand and beckoned them to follow him. Another rustle. They had to run faster. 

"When we get there, surround her. Form a circle around her." He wasn't sure how that was supposed to help, but at least she wouldn't be able to run away so easily.

Oh yeah, she could fly. 

Shikumon heard them coming long before they reached her, but running from them proved to be difficult. There were eight humans and seven Digimon. And then there was her. One person. Nobody else. 

"Crap."

For humans, they were pretty fast. They seemed to be coming from all sorts of directions. And look at that, they even had the nerve to bring along nice little Mr. Kashimi. That bastard. 

"THAT'S Shikumon?" Ken asked when he got a good look at her.

"What? You would have preferred me to have a pink dress and a halo? Ha!"

V-mon attacked her without any warning, send her to the ground. But then she started laughing again.

"If anything, I'm going to die of laughter. Grisly Wing!" 

Hordes of black bats flew out from behind her.

"When Leomon said she was made in Vandemon's image, he wasn't kidding!" said Takeru. 

Shikumon called off the bats. But while everyone's attention was focused on the state and well being, she started to make her getaway into the air. 

Hawkmon and Patamon flew up in an attempt to stop her, but she easily kicked them back to the ground. 

"She's getting away!" shouted Hikari.

"No, you think?" said Daisuke sarcastically. 

Kashimi stepped forward. He stared at Shikumon intently. She raised a mocking eyebrow in return. 

"What are you going to do, Mr. Kashimi? Glare at me to death?"

He raised his arms to just above his hand, his palms facing Shikumon's general direction. "No," he replied, "I've got a better idea."

Flashes of red light shot out of his palms. But the force of it was so strong it sent him reeling backwards, stopping only when his back hit a tree with full force. Letting out a cry of agony, he fell to the ground, leaving a small trail of blood on the tree as his head dragged down it. 

Shikumon could have easily dodged the blast, but the fact that it had come from Kashimi stunned her for a moment, which was long enough for the attack to hit her hard. She fell unconscious back to the earth. 

"Principal Kashimi?!" exclaimed Daisuke. Nobody could really grasp what had just happened. 

Catching his breath, Kashimi opened his eyes slowly. "What d'ya know?" he mused quietly. "Looks like I still have it in me."

Please review people! I'd really like some feedback on the story so far. I know it can't be THAT horrible.


	4. Shikumon's Origin

Disclaimer: Wahaha. Don't I wish they were mine. But no, except for Mikado, Kyoko, and Shikumon, they're all copyright to Toei or whatever company owns them. I crush Toei…someday.

Onto Chapter 4…

Vandemon awoke, greeted by the night, as well as his minions. But the one Digimon he was looking for wasn't there, she wasn't among the ones bowing before him. She was standing on the balcony, staring at the stars. He smiled as he walked over to her. Shikumon didn't seem to notice as he gently put his arms around her.

"So quiet tonight, pet?"

She sighed, but didn't answer.

"Something wrong?"

"No."

He wasn't convinced. It was obvious to anyone that she just didn't want to talk about it.

Shikumon hesitated. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why me?"

That wasn't the sort of question he expected her to ask.

"Why you? That's a rather odd question."

"I mean, why did you give it to me?"

"Give you what?"

"This…gift. Was that what you called it?"

"That's what I consider it to be." He ran his fingers along her wingspan. "You speak of it as though it's a bad thing."

"Why did you give it to me?" She wasn't about to let him change the subject.

He leaned in so that his face was nearly touching hers. "Because I love you."

Shikumon bit her lip before responding. "Seriously? No fooling?"

He laughed softly. "No fooling."

She turned around to face him. 

"Why? What makes me so different that you love me and nobody else?"

Vandemon kneeled down. "You're asking me to describe what love is. I don't know what makes the heart long for one person and not another. All I know is that I could never love anyone as much as I love you."

"No matter what? You'll love me forever."

He kissed her gently on the cheek. "Forever and a day, my precious."

She seemed satisfied with that answer, but it wasn't her last question.

"Why do we have to kill the eighth child?"

He paused. "I believe I've explained it to you. More than once, in fact."

"I know. Just…tell me again, ok?"

Vandemon sighed. "The eighth child has an immense amount of power, Shikumon. I shouldn't have to be telling you that. You already know that if the eighth child doesn't die I will. He'll kill me. This is a child of light we're talking about, pet."

"The eighth child…is just a kid. Like me."

"No, sweet. Not like you at all," he kissed her on the cheek a second time.  
"Vandemon…I keep thinking…what life might be like if…if you hadn't raised me. Like, if, I had a real family, like the Digidestined."

"Like the Digidestined?" he repeated with disbelief. Shikumon looked at the floor, her face turning red.

"I only meant…if my real parents…"

"Shh, no more of this." He ran his gloved fingers through her hair. "I never knew your real parents, and neither did you. Don't trouble your mind with such thoughts that make you question who you are and where you belong. I raised you in the darkness, and as long as I'm alive, you'll know no life but this one."

Mikado was breathing heavily. He sat on the ground, unable to do anything but stare at Shikumon's limp body.

Daisuke looked at it too. "Is she…"

"She's alive. Just don't…don't go near her."

"Why not?" asked Takeru.

"It'd be like touching a radioactive rock. She's between stages right now."

"Between stages?"

Tailmon stepped forward, advancing towards Shikumon. "Between Digimon and human." She walked over to her, placing a paw gently on her head.

"Tailmon?! What are you doing?" Hikari asked, a note of panic in her voice.

"It's alright…she'll wake up, and then maybe everything can be alright again." They weren't sure if Tailmon was talking to Hikari or Shikumon.

Suddenly, a flash of red light illuminated Shikumon's body. Her hair darkened to a less fierce color, her wings disappeared, and her claws turned into normal fingernails. 

Whatever she was now, she opened her eyes. They were blue now. Dazed, she opened her mouth. The fangs had shrunk, but they weren't gone. Even so, she wasn't Shikumon anymore.

"Kyoko?!" Daisuke asked in disbelief. It was her, no doubt about it. She sat up, and looked at Tailmon. Tears were welling in the little Digimon's eyes.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

Kyoko caressed Tailmon's face gently. "For what? You don't have anything to be sorry about."  
"I should have said something, or done something…"

Kyoko cut her off. "You DID do something. You tried to protect me when Icedevimon attacked us. But I'm the one who should be sorry. I thought I'd be able to control myself, but I suppose I can't."

"Then," Ken said suspiciously, "it wasn't you who attacked everyone?"

Kyoko blinked. "Of course it was me. Shikumon and I are the same. We have the same mind, same body, and the same soul. It's just…just that, when I'm Shikumon, I can't control myself. Shikumon has so much power, and the urge to use it becomes too much. Adrenaline takes over, and I start acting really crazy."

"Then why would you become Shikumon in the first place, if you do so much evil?" Daisuke asked. 

Kyoko walked up to him. She took his hand her hers, then put it over his heart. "What do you feel?"

"My…my heart." He didn't see where the conversation was going. She hadn't let go of his hand. She lifted it up again and put it on the right side of her chest. 

"Now, what do you feel?"

He paused for a moment, then his eyes opened wide with realization. "Nothing."

She walked back over to Tailmon. None of the other Digidestined or Digimon had dared to move or say a word. "Many Digimon are created in the image of a creature in this world. Tailmon was created in the image of a cat, and so she acts like a cat. She purrs, she meows, and she has all the speed and agility of a feline. By the way Vandemon acted, I think it's pretty clear what creature he's meant to represent."

"Yeah," said Iori, "a vampire. But what's that got to do with you?"

"Don't you remember what Leomon said?" Miyako said to him. "Vandemon created Shikumon in his image. If Vandemon was a vampire, then Shikumon was too. And if Kyoko can turn into Shikumon…"

"…then Kyoko must always carry a part of Shikumon with her, whether she's in that form or not."

"A part of Shikumon…?" Daisuke glanced at Kyoko, and then he saw her teeth, gleaming like milky white blades in the moonlight.

"You're a vampire, aren't you?" he asked. Kyoko grinned. 

"Took you long enough."

Ken looked shocked. "But when…how…why…"

Tailmon wiped several tears away. "I couldn't believe it either when it happened. She wasn't always like this. Kyoko used to be a normal human being, with a beating heart. But Vandemon, the one she trusted the most, betrayed her."

"How could he turn a normal human being into a Digimon?" asked Iori.

"Open your eyes," said Kyoko, "there's more to the Digital World then encryption codes and data. If Vandemon's powers were vampiric, don't you think he's have vampiric abilities as well?"

Hikari picked up Tailmon, who was near to shaking. "How did it happen?"

Tailmon looked at Kyoko. Kyoko nodded. Tailmon sighed. "It happened only a few months before Taichi and his friends came to the Digital World for the first time. Kyoko was only a little kid, and I thought everything was going to be fine."

"Catch it! Catch it, Tailmon!" Kyoko made a futile attempt to catch the yellow ball, which was bouncing uncontrollably against the castle walls. 

Tailmon darted after it and caught it in mid-air. Unfortunately, her claws dug into the rubber and the ball popped.

"You ok?" Kyoko asked cautiously. Tailmon stood up.

"I'm fine, but the ball…" she held up the ball of latex that had once been their toy.

Kyoko pouted. "Now what are we gonna play with?" Tailmon asked.

Just then, Pikudevimon came flying down the hallway, humming placidly to himself.

Kyoko smiled devilishly. "I've got an idea." 

She walked up to Pikudevimon. "Hello, Pikudevimon, my bestest best friend in the whole wide Digital World."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Um…ok. But the last time I checked, you hated my guts."

"Oh, don't be silly, my little black dumpling." Tailmon clutched her stomach and stuck her tongue out. "I love you so very much."

Pikudevimon's eyes lit up. "R-really?" he asked hopefully.

"Really, Piku-kins! In fact, I love you so much, I wanna give you a great big hug!"

He hesitated. "Well…ok."

"Great!" She reached out her arms and gave him a big squeeze, but she didn't let go.

"Uh, Kyoko? I kinda can't breathe."

"I'm sorry," she said, but she didn't let go. "Wanna play a game with us?"

"What kind of game?" he asked carefully.

Tailmon smiled innocently. "The most fun game of all, right, Kyoko?"

"That's right! It's called…BOUNCY BALL!" she threw Pikudevimon against the wall with as much force as she could. He bounced back and forth, down the corridor, screaming madly.

"It works!" Tailmon screamed with glee, chasing after him. "It really, really works!"

"Yahoo!" Kyoko was ecstatic. Tailmon jumped up and hit Pikudevimon with her paw.

Just when it looked like their fun wouldn't stop, two gloved hands caught Pikudevimon, ending his rampage through the halls.

Kyoko and Tailmon stopped dead in their tracks. Tailmon gulped. "We're in for it now," she whispered. 

Vandemon looked at them curiously. "Couldn't you think of a game that doesn't involve torturing and maiming Pikudevimon?" he looked down at Pikudevimon's ruffled body. His eyes were going in circles. "That's my job."

Kyoko looked unnerved, but Tailmon was trembling slightly.

"Please, master. We only wanted to…that is to say, we…"

"We were just having a little fun," Kyoko finished for her.

Vandemon smiled. "I know," he said, "but it would be better if you two stayed out of trouble for now. I've got a lot of work today, and some of it might require making Pikudevimon do my bidding." He winked and dropped Pikudevimon carelessly to the ground.

"You kids be good little angels for me," he said as he walked past them, and ruffled Kyoko's hair gently.

"Phew," Tailmon breathed when he had left. "I thought we were in for it."

Kyoko shrugged. She poked Pikudevimon, who was lying, barely conscious, on the floor. He shot up in an instant, breathing fire. 

"You two think you're so great just because you're on the master's good side!" he fumed. "Well, you're not! Tailmon's a wimp, and YOU!" he pointed at Kyoko angrily with his wing.

"What about me?" she challenged. 

"You've got no power at all! You're a stinkin' HUMAN! And yet, Vandemon still treats you like a princess, you're nothing more than a spoiled brat!"

"WHAT?!" she screamed. "That's not true!"

"Oh yeah? Well if you're so great, then why haven't you ever been in the dungeon?"

Kyoko stuck her tongue out at him. "Vandemon just told me I wasn't supposed to go down there!  
Pikudevimon grinned. "Well, I've been down there. Loads of times. And does Vandemon ever treat me with any respect? Of course not! The only respect he gives me is letting me go down to the dungeon! So until he says that YOU can, you ain't got no respect from me!"

"Fine!" she screamed. "I'll go down there! Watch me!" she started stomping down the hall. Tailmon trailed along behind her.

"But, Kyoko, Vandemon said…"

"So what? A scolding from Vandemon will be worth it if I can prove to Pikudevimon that I'm not a wimp!"

They approached the dungeon door. Vandemon had warned Kyoko numerous times never to go down there. 

"Why do you need to prove anything to Pikudevimon? He's such a jerk, and we hate him, so…"

"Because if I can do something so daring and live through it, I'd never have to listen to his annoying taunts again!"

She took a deep breath and opened the door. Her eyes could just barely make out a stairway in the darkness. She took a step forward, then felt Tailmon grab her paw.

"If you're going down, then so am I."

Kyoko smiled gratefully, and the two of them started walking down the stiarcase.

Pikudevimon was taking his time. He wanted Vandemon to catch his precious angel at the scene of the crime. When the time seemed right, he raised his wing, and banged loudly at the door of Vandemon's study.

"Come in," said a voice from inside.

Pikudevimon opened the door. "Master Vandemon?"

"Yes, Pikudevimon?"

"It…it's Kyoko." He tried his hardest to sound sympathetic.

"What about her?"

"I told her not to, sir! But she…she…" Pikudevimon faked a sob.

"What did she do?"

"She…she went into the dungeon, master."

"The one I specifically told her, several times, not to go into?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so, master."

Vandemon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see. And how many times did you taunt her before she decided to go down there?"

Pikudevimon's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"What do you think I'm going to do about it, Pikudevimon? Scold her? Send her to her room?"

Pikudevimon started sweating. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea, after all. "I-I don't know, master."

"There's a reason she's here. It's not just for her benefit. Come, I'll explain it on the way." He stood up to leave the room.

"Explain what, boss?" Pikudevimon flew alongside Vandemon, who was striding towards to door.

"The time has come. Frankly speaking, it's none of your business as to what's going to happen, but I can tell you that I know you led her into this, and that, I'm not planning to tell her she's been a bad girl and then praise you for informing me of the situation. However, I suppose you deserve credit for speeding this along. I was beginning to think that this day would never come."

"What day?"

Vandemon smiled mysteriously. "The day where Kyoko and I truly bond as father and daughter."

Tailmon and Kyoko crept quietly down the stairs. Each step they took was a clunking sound that they regretted making two seconds after.

"Do you here anything?" Tailmon whispered.

"No," Kyoko answered quietly.

"Me neither. It's creepy."

Suddenly, two red eyes appeared in front of them. Tailmon shrieked and jumped into Kyoko's arms.

Kyoko leaned forward to get a good look at who the eyes belonged to. It was a small Digimon.

"Awww, she won't hurt you, Tailmon. Lookit her…she's just a widdle baby."

Without warning, the "widdle baby" hissed and scratched at them. Tailmon shrieked again. Kyoko looked at the angry Digimon, confused. Something about that Digimon wasn't right, and it wasn't just the hostile behavior.

The Digimon turned and ran down the steps. 

"Hey, wait!" Kyoko ran after it, still clutching Tailmon.

It led them all the way to the bottom. Kyoko couldn't believe her eyes. Digimon of all sorts were either chained up or lying in locked cages. She saw one cage had been forced open, which explained why that one Digimon had been running around. The odd thing was, they all had black rings around their necks. 

She walked around, glancing at the Digimon, who were all looking at her, glaring. The air felt so stiff, and the mood itself was dark and not very welcoming. 

"K-Kyoko?" Tailmon dug her nails into Kyoko's dress. "I don't like it here."

"What the heck is all this?" She peered into a cage. The Digimon inside it immediately ran to the farthest corner from Kyoko possible. "He…locked them up." She felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. Seeing the Digimon chained up like this was just wrong. 

"Well, Kyoko. I believe you haven't been listening to me, have you?"

It was Vandemon. He walked down the stairs, an evil grin on his face. Pikudevimon flew down anxiously behind him. 

Kyoko looked at him fearlessly. "What did you do to them?"

He smiled. "Do you think all of my subjects come to me so willingly?" He glanced at Tailmon, who was trembling in Kyoko's arms. "They're experiments. The black rings they wear around their necks are prototypes for a device I'm working on."

"But so many…" Kyoko looked at the cages sadly.

Vandemon took a few steps closer to her. "There's more than one version of the prototype. And besides, I've gotten word that the Digidestined might arrive soon. The more subjects I have, the better." 

The closer Vandemon got, the more Kyoko stammered. "Th-this is wrong, you kn-know that, don't you?"

He was close enough so that he could reach out and touch her face. "You know what I am, and you know what I do. Why does this come as such a shock?"

Kyoko tried not to look into his eyes. She clutched Tailmon's shaking body as hard as she could without killing the poor thing.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, a note of challenge in her voice. "Put me in one of those cages? Make me wear one of your dark rings?"

He laughed softly. "They only work on Digimon. Besides that, they would completely remove the ability for you to think for yourself. You think I want that for you?"

Her eyes we're still focused on the ground. "I don't know. Do you?"

"Of course not, angel." He leaned forward and kissed her swiftly on the lips. Without warning, Tailmon was dropped to the ground with a thump. "I have a better idea," he whispered in her ear.

Surprised, Tailmon looked up. Vandemon had grabbed Kyoko's chin, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes had completely glazed over, and her chest was heaving up and down. Vandemon licked his purple lips. All at once, Tailmon knew exactly what he planned to do.

"Nooo!" she screamed. "No, you can't! You'll kill her!"

"Hold her back, Pikudevimon," Vandemon said softly, still looking at Kyoko. Pikudevimon grabbed Tailmon's head with his claws, and covered her mouth with his wings so that she couldn't talk or move.

Vandemon pushed Kyoko's hair aside. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Tailmon struggled harder under Pikudevimon's grasp, but Vandemon didn't seem to notice. He leaned his head over, positioning his lips on Kyoko's bare neck. Without another word, he opened his mouth, and sank his fangs into her neck.

The enslaved Digimon started moving around anxiously. All eyes in the room were on the paling face of Kyoko.

Her legs and knees gave out, and her eyes closed. She sank to the ground, unconscious.

Vandemon finally released her. He picked up her sleeping body and stood straight up.

"We don't have much time," he said to Pikudevimon.

"Well, what am I supposed to do with HER?" Pikudevimon gestured towards Tailmon, who was still bound to him.

Vandemon smiled. "It might be good idea for her to watch. Follow me." 

They left the red-eyed Digimon in the dungeon. Struggling to keep up with Vandemon due to his heavy load, Pikudevimon barely managed to get his question out.

"Whatcha planning to do with her, boss?"

"That's my business, Pikudevimon. But I can assure you, it's going to end up hurting you a lot more than it could ever hurt her."

"What's that supposed to mean, boss? Boss?" Vandemon seemed to be ignoring him. "Hey boss, wait up!" Pikudevimon just made it through the study doors that were about to smash in his face. He dropped Tailmon to the floor. Vandemon kneeled down and gently placed Kyoko on the floor. Tailmon looked like she was ready to attack him. He turned to her, glaring.

"I'm warning you, Tailmon. I don't have time for your angst. No matter what you might think, the only way Kyoko will recover is if you let me do my job. So, unless you want me to sic Pikudevimon on you again, stay back."

She whimpered for a moment, but that only made Vandemon look more serious. Biting her lip, she recoiled. Tears were welling in her eyes.

Vandemon walked over to his desk and grabbed a knife that had been placed there. Then, he removed his right glove, revealing a bony hand with long fingernails underneath.

Pikudevimon's eyes widened. "M-master? You're not really going to…"

"I'd advise you to stay quiet," he said softly. Gently, he lifted Kyoko's head with his left arm. "Kyoko," he whispered, shaking her gently, "time to wake up, princess."

"Mmm…" She opened her eyes, vaguely aware of her surroundings. Vandemon took the knife to his right wrist and made an incision. Blood started dripping from it. He lowered his wrist to her mouth and forced the blood in. 

Tailmon's eyes grew to dinner plates, but she kept quiet. Pikudevimon looked fascinated.

After what seemed like an eternity to Tailmon, Vandemon told Kyoko to stop drinking.

She started breathing heavily, but her head remained in Vandemon's lap. He stroked her face gently in an attempt to soothe her. But it didn't seem to help. Her teeth and nails started to lengthen, her hair, which had been a dark brown color, was turning a vivid red, and so were her eyes. Then, in a flash of light, two huge black wings appeared behind her, forcing her up and off of Vandemon's lap. She keeled over, panting as though she were about to die.

Tailmon rushed over to her. "Kyoko?" She turned angrily to Vandemon. "What did you do to her?"

Vandemon smiled mysteriously. "Tailmon, I'd like you to meet Shikumon." 

Everyone, please R&R! I'd really like more feedback!


	5. A Secret Between Family

Disclaimer: Only Mikado Kashimi, Kyoko Ginju, and Shikumon belong to me. The rest belong to Toei. I claim no ownership, and if I did, it would be my evil twin. Thank you.  
  
Notes: Once again, I have been getting little feedback on this story. It's frustrating, as I would really like some feedback, but as writing is a passion of mine, I'll just keep writing.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Kyoko stood still for a moment. Everyone's eyes were still on Tailmon as she finished her story,  
  
"You can't say that he didn't care, Tailmon," Kyoko said quietly.  
  
"I'm saying that the only one he cared about was himself. The only reason he was ever nice to you was because he..."  
  
"Shut up," she said suddenly. Her eyes were on fire. "Shut up, and don't you dare tell me that you knew Vandemon better than I did."  
  
Tailmon fell silent.  
  
"He betrayed you," Daisuke said, stepping close to Kyoko. "Can't you see that?"  
  
She turned her eyes away from him. "Of course I can. But you guys just don't understand."  
  
"Of course we understand," Ken growled. "He killed lots of innocent Digimon, and loving you doesn't make up for any of it. He was pure evil."  
  
"Evil can't love."  
  
"He didn't love you," said Tailmon. Kyoko darted around to face her.  
  
"And exactly how would you know that?"  
  
Tailmon bit her lip. "It's just...I would look into his eyes. It was looking into a bottomless pit. There wasn't any room for love inside of them."  
  
"That's the biggest load of crap I ever head," she said. "Alright, yes, he betrayed me. And no, I haven't forgiven him yet. But I know that he's sorry."  
  
Daisuke scratched his head. "Ok, so let me get this straight..."  
  
Miyako rolled her eyes. "Here we go..."  
  
Mikado started to stand up. "Staying on topic is easier for others."  
  
"Kyoko is a vampire, Tailmon used to be her best friend..."  
  
Kyoko nodded. "Not as dumb as you look, are you?"  
  
"...and Mr. Kashimi," he spun around and pointed at Mikado, "was one of the original Digidestined!"  
  
Mikado laughed. "Well, I suppose that's close enough."  
  
To everyone's surprise, Kyoko laughed too. Then she walked over to Mikado, blushing slightly.  
  
"I wanted to thank you," she said with a deep bow, "for stopping me. And also, I wanted to apologize for the way I acted."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
She looked at the ground. "There's something else, too..."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "What might that be?"  
  
"Something...something I've been wanting to do for awhile..."  
  
Before anyone could react, she had raised her hand and slapped Mikado hard across the face. Her long nails had created four long gashes across his cheek.  
  
For a moment, nobody dared to say anything. Mikado gently touched the side of his face, observing the blood on his fingers. "Well," he said softly, "can't say I didn't deserve that."  
  
"What are you talking about?" exclaimed Takeru. "You helped us!"  
  
Mikado looked at Takeru, and for a moment, his eyes looked like they were about to fill with tears.  
  
Kyoko looked at him with distaste. "It doesn't amount to anything. I can't stand to look at you, because you're so convinced that a few good deeds can make everything ok."  
  
She ran out of the park and down the street, leaving the Digidestined and their Digimon completely confused. Tailmon jumped out of Hikari's arms and walked up to Mikado. He looked at her expectantly. "I'd have to agree with Kyoko on this one," she said, a mound of disgust in her voice. Tailmon turned and dashed off in the direction that Kyoko had ran.  
  
Kyoko was leaning over the bridge where Icedevimon had appeared. She was staring at the moonlight with tears in her eyes. Tailmon walked up behind her. Without even turning around to face her, Kyoko spoke.  
  
"You knew, didn't you? You knew who he was."  
  
"I felt something, but I wasn't sure it was him until he attacked you."  
  
Kyoko turned around, sobbing. "I thought I could start over. You know, on my own. But he just doesn't want to leave me alone."  
  
The rest of the team stood silently and uncomfortably. Mikado was leaning against a tree.  
  
Once in awhile, it looked like someone was going to say something, but nobody did.  
  
Finally Ken broke the silence. "Who are you?" he said to Mikado.  
  
Mikado's face was a blank. "Mikado Kashimi," he answered, "acting principal of Odaiba middle school."  
  
"I don't think that most principals can shoot lasers out of their hands," said Ken coldly.  
  
"You know, I was just thinking that," muttered Daisuke.  
  
"Are you really one of the original Digidestined?" asked Iori.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then how do you know about Digimon?" demanded Miyako.  
  
Mikado bit his lip. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet? The laser blasts, the way  
  
Kyoko looked at me, please don't tell me it's not obvious."  
  
They looked at Mikado, then at each other. Patamon flew up to him, observing him closely. Mikado made no remark to stop him.  
  
"You're Vandemon..." he said softly.  
  
"WAS Vandemon, a long time ago. When Angewomon defeated me, I split in two. Part of me wanted to become human, to be with Kyoko, while my other side wanted to remain as I had always been: evil."  
  
"You...you split?" Takeru could barely believe his ears.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But when you attacked Shikumon..." Ken wondered aloud, "how did you do that?"  
  
"I still retained some of Vandemon's powers. It's not much, and it takes a lot out of me. I became a principal because...well because I thought it might help make up for all the trouble I caused. I wanted to help the Digidestined this time, and I decided the best way was to first get a job at their school."  
  
Hikari raised an eyebrow. "And when were you planning to tell us who you really were?"  
  
"Well," he said softly, "I'm telling you now."  
  
Everyone fell silent once more. Then, Mikado took a breath and spoke again. "I didn't know that Kyoko was still alive, or that she even went to your school. I have no idea where she's been hiding, or for that matter, why she's been doing so. But as soon as I found out that she was, and that Shikumon was still inside her, I knew I had to do something to stop her. But I was a coward, and the longer I put it off, the less I wanted to tell anyone who I was. The first time I saw her again was a couple of nights back. I saw one of the attacked women lying unconscious, and I tried to convince myself it couldn't be her, but it was. I saw her."  
  
Nobody dared to say a word as he paused for breath.  
  
"I didn't want to believe it was her. I couldn't think of any other explanation, but I went home and told myself over and over again that if it had been her, she wouldn't have hurt me like that. But she didn't even recognize me. I finally had to face up to it and admit that I had seen Shikumon when I saw Kyoko at the school festival."  
  
"What were you trying to do?" Takeru asked. "I still can't figure out if you wanted her to recognize you or not."  
  
Mikado sighed. "Even I'm not sure. But I knew, from the moment I saw her, acting so innocent, when the night before I had come face-to-face with her dark, vicious side, that I couldn't just sit back and watch her. I just had to talk to her. She didn't know who I was, but I think she knew that I was aware of her secret."  
  
"Did you love her?" Hikari asked, staring right at him.  
  
"Of course I do. I always have, and I always will."  
  
Patamon scoffed. "After everything you put us through you expect us to believe that you..."  
  
"Why is it so hard for you to believe that I can love someone? WHY?" There was fire in his eyes, but he didn't look ready to lift a finger to Patamon.  
  
"Only people with souls can love. You tried to kill us without mercy, without remorse, and you think that proves you have a soul?" Takeru's voice was full of spite and anger.  
  
"Open your eyes," he said softly. "I'm showing remorse now."  
  
"Well, it's a little late for that, dude!" said Daisuke angrily. "Kyoko trusted you with her LIFE, and you repay her by turning her into a monster. Now you show up all clean and happy, like everything can be normal between you two. Well, it can't, because you may have loved her, but you blew her chance to get her to love you back!"  
  
Everyone expected Mikado to lash out right then. To say something like, "You shouldn't speak that way to your elders," or, "What would you know?" But instead, he simply shrugged and said, "You're right. I've been an idiot. I can't expect you to not bother me about it, to look at me the same way. I can't hurt you. Just that one blast made me want to fall over, and I can assure you I won't attempt anything like it again. You may think I want the power back, but I don't."  
  
Nobody said anything for a moment. Then.  
  
"Tailmon."  
  
Takeru looked at Hikari quizzically. "What?"  
  
"She went off with Kyoko. Do you think something happened to her.or them?"  
  
Daisuke turned to Mikado. "Would Kyoko ever hurt Tailmon?"  
  
Mikado shook his head. "She would protect Tailmon with her life."  
  
"Up until now, you've acted like a normal girl."  
  
Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Normal?"  
  
"Well.somewhat." Tailmon smiled nervously. "Plus, you acted like Digimon were some foreign concept. I mean, you fainted when you saw Icedevimon."  
  
"You have to admit, though, he was pretty freaky."  
  
"Do you know why he was after you?"  
  
"No. At first I thought it was Devimon, but then I remembered Devimon was dead. And besides that, I didn't know if Devimon was pissed off at me or what. You ever think that maybe he was only nice to me 'cause if he wasn't, Vandemon would take him down."  
  
Tailmon looked up. "To Chinatown?"  
  
"Yeah." Kyoko leaned over the railing. "Do you want things to go back to the way they were? When you and I were friends? When all we did was hang out and tell jokes? You know, kinda like this."  
  
"We can still do that."  
  
"It's not the same. Everything's just.lost its innocence."  
  
"How so?"  
  
Tailmon hadn't uttered those words. Mikado had. Kyoko and Tailmon turned around to see the Digidestined and the other Digimon, along with Mikado. Kyoko almost smiled in spite of herself.  
  
"So, they've accepted you, have they?"  
  
"I wouldn't go THAT far," said Ken.  
  
Kyoko scowled. "What do you know about Vandemon?"  
  
Miyako scratched her chin. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You were convinced, this whole time, that it was him attacking those women, because you all thought you knew him. Every single one of you, including Tailmon, thought that. But you were all wrong, because you've gotten misconceptions about him. Just because you've beaten him a few times, you think you know all his tactics, all his strategies." Mikado stared at Kyoko. He almost looked confused, but Kyoko didn't pay any attention.  
  
"Well, I'll let you know right now that none of you know him. Don't you dare think for one second that Mikado isn't the same person. He might be good, his intentions might be, but in the end, it's me who knows him best of all, who guards his most precious secrets."  
  
She turned to Mikado. "Wouldn't you agree that I know you better than anyone?"  
  
His eyes widened. "What are you talking about? What secrets?"  
  
She suddenly looked concerned. "You.you honestly have no idea as to what I'm talking about, do you?" He shook his head slowly. Kyoko gulped. "You're secret.the most precious one. Don't you.don't you deny it. I know what it is. You're keeping it even now, so hidden, even you can't find it." Tears were welling up in her eyes again.  
  
"Kyoko?" Daisuke took a step forward.  
  
"There's a wall.it's keeping your true self from sprouting. That's good, isn't it? But, it's not. It's both. It can't be both. It just can't." she grabbed the railing and doubled over.  
  
Daisuke ran over to her. "Kyoko, you really need to."  
  
She looked up. Her eyes were blazing. "Secrets are something you keep, aren't they?"  
  
For a moment, Daisuke was stunned. He didn't really know how to answer that. "I-I guess so."  
  
"They're very mysterious things. Shh.can't tell." At that very moment, her body glowed bright red and she turned into Shikumon before their very eyes. Her black wings expanded from behind her. She grinned, baring her fangs.  
  
"Gotta take my baby home. She's all tired out, you know. I blame all of you."  
  
"Shikumon, you can't keep doing this. It's driving you insane," Mikado said calmly.  
  
"No, you're driving me insane. You and those horrible secrets."  
  
"Tell me what they are. I can't help you unless I know what you're talking about."  
  
"They're driving me insane. Makes me sick to look at you, to know every single thing about you. I thought I knew everything, but to know that you don't know, to know that you've been hiding from me like this, these secrets of yours really take the cake. Almost as big secrets as the one I thought you knew."  
  
"You have to tell me. If it's causing you so much pain, then let it out."  
  
"Nuh-uh. Daddy's gotta figure it out all on his own. It's his turn to learn stuff. Cause we all know, you taught me plenty."  
  
"Kyoko, please don't act like this," Tailmon pleaded.  
  
"Kyoko wouldn't act like this, dearie, oh no." Shikumon shook her head slowly.  
  
"But neither would Shikumon," Tailmon countered. "Shikumon and Kyoko were always one and the same."  
  
"Not since we went beddy-bye."  
  
Mikado narrowed his eyes. She hadn't acted like this since. "Beddy-bye?"  
  
"We were very tired. Not only that, we were scared and ashamed of what we were. There was so much pain, so much sadness, and we just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But we were cowards, so we did the next best thing."  
  
Daisuke's eyes widened. "You went to sleep, didn't you?"  
  
"No," Mikado said softly, "you couldn't have.not for that long."  
  
"Daddy's not thinking outside of the box. Don't need air. Don't need food. Just as long as I close my eyes and dream, I don't need anything else."  
  
He grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "That's why you've aged. Drinking blood kept you young, and you didn't drink anything when you were sleeping."  
  
"Woke up a couple of times, sure. With such horrible nightmares, you would too."  
  
"What kind of nightmares? What did you see?"  
  
She grinned. "You think I had premonitions again, don't you?"  
  
"Well, did you?"  
  
"Didn't see anything I haven't already seen. Mostly there were just explosions. Big ones. And you were there. You were in them, blowing up before my very eyes. But that wasn't enough, was it? You couldn't just die and leave me alone. You had to make it difficult. You had to come back so that I would hate you. It wasn't YOU who caused me to go to sleep, it was your second form, Venomvandemon."  
  
"I wasn't in control of that," he said calmly. "This form, the one I'm in now, hadn't been created yet. I was still floating between time and space, creating a life for myself."  
  
"Well, you find one a little too late, cause by the time you did, I was already back in the Digital World, fast asleep in my cozy little cave, among the bats, and the rats, and the."  
  
"Stop it!" he screamed. "I don't want to hear anymore. Not now."  
  
Shikumon tilted her head to the side. "Aww.ish Daddy afwaid?"  
  
"Quite possibly," he whispered. "This isn't what I wanted for you."  
  
"Too bad. This is what you got, and this is what you'll have to live with." She jumped onto the railing and gave one final look back and the group. "Or, if you don't want to live with it, I could provide you with some nice alternatives."  
  
School the next day was a very quiet affair. After Shikumon had flown into the night sky, her last words had shocked everyone too much to tempt them to follow her. That had probably been her intention, in any case. By the time she couldn't even be seen in the sky, nobody could find the courage to say anything, and so the whole team, including Mikado, just quietly disbanded.  
  
But of course, they all had to school the next day, including Mikado. Especially Mikado. The only one who wasn't there was Kyoko, which was no surprise to anyone. Most of them had long since concluded to themselves that Kyoko had no parents to force her to go to school anyway. How she had managed to register was anyone's guess, but Mikado knew she had a way with computers. His little princess was growing up after all. Maybe he should disappear, just like her. Would that make her happy? Would that make her smile again? Would it make her normal again?  
  
He saw the Digidestined in their little group in front of the school. For a moment, the option of not approaching them lingered in his mind, but he knew that wasn't right anymore. But there was the fact that he didn't know what to say to them. What did one say in situations like this? Was there anything to say? Or were you just supposed to say "hello," and go on your merry way? He sighed. Maybe it was better to just say what came naturally.  
  
They turned to him as he came up to them. It was clear they weren't going to say the first words. He would have to.  
  
"Last night was.well, I apologize for it."  
  
Daisuke sighed. "Dude, you really don't need to apologize. I mean, if you hadn't been there."  
  
"Do you know where Kyoko lives?" asked Mikado.  
  
He was taken aback for a second. "Uh.yeah. I've seen it. I'm not exactly sure where it is but."  
  
Mikado interrupted again. "This afternoon, after school, I'm going there. I need to talk to her, to find out what she's hiding. Will you come with me?"  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Because you know where it is, and more importantly, she trusts you the most."  
  
Daisuke looked confused. "What makes you think that?"  
  
"Kyoko loves you. Every time she's with you I can see it in her eyes. She's attracted to you, and she wants to be around you. If you come with me, I have a bigger chance of getting through to her."  
  
Daisuke hesitated. He wasn't sure whom he was supposed to trust anymore. It was getting to the point where he wanted to tear his hair out and scream. He looked at Mikado. There was no pleading in his eyes, but there was trust. Was it trust that Daisuke would fall into his trap, or trust that Daisuke would help him to help Kyoko?  
  
He sighed. "Alright. But I want your word that you won't try anything."  
  
"What do I have to try?"  
  
V-mon walked beside Daisuke nervously. He didn't trust Mikado, not one bit. Not around Daisuke, and not around Kyoko. The funny thing was, he didn't even know if he trusted Kyoko, but he was worried about her anyway. Maybe it was because Daisuke liked her so much. He hadn't seen him obsess over anyone besides Hikari, and even then, Daisuke had known that she was Takeru's. Now he had someone whom he loved and who could be his. But he got the feeling that something was amiss. There was an obstacle that he couldn't quite put his finger on, and he knew that it wasn't Kyoko herself.  
  
Daisuke coughed uncomfortably. "So, uh, I guess you've noticed that Kyoko's been pretty crazy."  
  
Mikado sighed. "I'm used to it."  
  
Daisuke raised his eyebrows. "Used to it?"  
  
"After I changed her, she started acting like that. Spewing out words that didn't seem to make any sense. But they did, at least to her. I drove her to the brink of insanity by giving her power that no child that age should have."  
  
"Woah, you're saying she's actually insane? Like, it's not just an act?"  
  
"In a matter of speaking, yes, Kyoko did lose a bit of her sanity with her humanity."  
  
"So.does that mean that whatever she thinks you're hiding might not be true."  
  
"I don't know. We'll have to see. How much further is it?"  
  
"Um, I think it's just up ahead. Yeah, there it is."  
  
They walked up to the porch. Daisuke gulped, but Mikado looked incredibly calm. Then he saw it, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. It might have been the heat, but, then again, Mikado hesitated before finally ringing the doorbell. 


	6. Sins of the Father

Disclaimer: There are two kinds of people. Those who have disclaimers, and those who don't. I have one, thus, I am…uh…the first type of person. Yeah. The kind who says these characters are not hers. Except for a few. But if you know anything about Digimon, you can figure out which ones.

Chapter 6

Sprawled on the couch with a melted box of ice cream on the floor next to her was a sleeping Kyoko. The television was on, and she was quite possibly drooling. Then, the doorbell rang. At first she didn't wake. It took a lot to wake a sleeping vampire, even if said vampire was snoring and was wearing pink pajamas with white hearts all over them.

Then, after a few minutes of waiting, Mikado rang the doorbell again. He heard the TV. He knew she was home. The din of whatever she had been watching had died down, so she heard it that time. In fact, she heard it so well that she jumped up, screaming "Women and children first! All hands on…what the?"

Still half-asleep, she fumbled blindly for the remote. She groaned and shut it off, then trudged toward the door. The sunlight blinded her when she opened it. Then, when her vision cleared, she wished it hadn't.

"What?" she spat.

Daisuke stepped back half an inch. "Er…hey, Kyoko!" He could've sworn that, at that point, she growled. He wouldn't have put it past her.

"Daisuke was kind enough to show me where you lived."

"And why the hell would he go and do a thing like that?" Kyoko said, grinning. Her fangs were gleaming in the sunlight. How could Daisuke not have noticed them before?

"We need to talk, and you know it," Mikado said sternly.

"So we do, perhaps. But who's 'we?'"

"You and me. And Daisuke, if you wish."

"S'ok." Daisuke took a couple of steps back. "I just came to show…I mean, Mikado wanted to…"

"Stay out here, then," said Kyoko.

"Um…yeah…I'll just…" Mikado stepped in and the door closed behind him. "Wait out here, then…" finished Daisuke with a sigh.

Mikado took a look around the house. There was hardly anything in it, or so it seemed. After all, Kyoko had done little to furnish it. The living room consisted of an old, tattered couch and a television set. There was no kitchen table, only a stool pushed against the kitchen counter. The refrigerator was tiny. There were hardly any decorations on the wall, but for the few that were, he recognized them.

"I know that painting…" He pointed vaguely to a painting of Greek goddesses. There was a huge gash down the middle of it.

"Found it in the rubble," said Kyoko.

"What rubble?"

"The rubble of your castle."

Mikado's eyes grew wide with wonder. "My…my castle?"

"That's right. You knew it was destroyed, didn't you?"

"I…well, yes, of course I did, but…what's left of it?"

"Hardly anything." She shrugged. "Anyway, that's not what you came for, is it?"

"No. You owe me an explanation."

"I owe you_ nothing_. If you're too dense to figure it out on your own…"

"Well, see, that's the thing. I've been trying to figure it out, but I can't."

Kyoko sighed. She propped herself onto the back of the couch. "Do you love me?" she asked him. Her face had fallen to a solemn look.

Mikado looked at her. "Of course I do."

"How much?"

He looked surprised by the question. "With all my heart. You're the most important thing…"

"How much is that?" she asked him. Now it looked as though tears were about to fall from her eyes. "Enough to treat me special, like you treated no one else?" 

"Of course. You are…you've always been…everything."

"Everything…" she repeated quietly. Then, to his surprise, she laughed. "I'm everything. Everything you wanted, everything you saw, everything you _touched_." Her eyes tore into him like fire.

"What…what are you…" Then he realized what she was trying to say. "No…I wouldn't…I would never…"

"You didn't. But you were always thinking about it. I could tell, even if I never realized it until a few months ago."

"You're wrong," he said softly.

Kyoko ignored him. "I always told myself, 'He's my daddy. He loves me more than anybody. That's why he pays extra attention to me. We're a family.' But then I saw pictures in books. Pictures of what a real family looked like. Pictures of the way a father and daughter acted. I let it go, because I knew that we weren't completely _normal_. Then, we went to the Real World, and I saw families. Real families. And I saw couples. Always in the park, looking at each other. And there was something funny about that, because that's the way you were always looking at _me_."

Mikado backed away. "No. That's insane. I love you."

"You weren't human, so I'm sure I can cut you _some_ slack. I'm just grateful even you probably didn't realize it, or something bad might've happened…"

"How could you think something like that?"

"Because it's true. Because I know what I saw. Even now, your eyes are drilling into me like a knife. You're thinking it now, way in the back of your head."

"No," he whispered. "No, God, no."

"Yes. You know it, don't you? I was your perfect little girl, down to the last hair, and you just couldn't get me out of your head. You wanted me, but you couldn't say anything. At least you had some self control, hmm?"

"Self control…" he repeated softly.

"What I still don't understand," Kyoko continued, "is what about me you were so attracted to." She smiled at him with an evil glint in her eyes.

He looked away. "I don't know."

"Don't you? When I was a baby you certainly couldn't have found something appealing of me, or could you?"

"God…"

"You dressed me up like a little schoolgirl. You brushed my hair until it was perfectly straight. You told me it was because I needed to look more human, and indeed, I did fit in among them, but were your methods secretly more sinister than that?"

"Never. No, never."

"So, that's not your fetish?

"Shut up!" Mikado yelled. "Stop playing games with my head! You're sick, Kyoko, can't you see that? Your mind…it's…it's my fault you're like this, but that doesn't mean you should give into these illusions!"

"Illusions?" She laughed. "I'm not the only one who's sick, Daddy."

"What have I done to you?" he muttered.

"Much, much more than you would like to believe."

"You need to stop this. I never would do that to you."

"And so you didn't, but it was very obvious that you were certainly _thinking_ it."

"I can't…I can't hear this anymore." Mikado started to head towards the door.

Kyoko beat him to it. She grasped the handle and looked up at him. The door remained closed. "Consider it. Dive back into your past. Think. Remember."

"You're coming to school tomorrow?"

"If I feel like it."

He lowered his face to meet hers. "Keep in mind that if you don't I may have to contact your _parents_."

She glared at him. "Whatever." She pulled the door open with a mighty tug. "See you around."

Daisuke was standing on the porch, waiting for them. "Um…hey again," he managed to say.

"Hey," Kyoko said quickly.

Just as Daisuke was about to speak again, Kyoko had slammed the door. The last thing he saw of her was an emotionless face. He stood on the porch for a moment, stunned. Mikado was staring at the ground. His brow was creased.

V-mon looked from Daisuke to Mikado, and back to Daisuke again. "Hey," he said, tugging on his pant leg. "We should go, shouldn't we?"

Daisuke came out of his trance. "Yeah. Um, Mr. Kashimi? You coming?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

They began walking down the street. Daisuke couldn't believe that the girl he had just seen was Kyoko. The girl who had opened the door was a spiteful, emotional wreck. The girl he went to school with was happy and cheerful. How could they be the same person?

Mikado considered every word that Kyoko had said to him. How could it have been true? He loved her, but not enough to even consider doing _that_. What drove her to think such things?

_Vandemon's daughter… _Daisuke thought to himself. _From what I've seen, Vandemon was a heartless demon, so why now, when I look at him, do I see such sadness? He loves her, he really does._ But did she love him in return?

*\/*

Kyoko stood in her living room, staring out the window. She couldn't remember whether or not she had been relieved when she woke up and realized that Vandemon was gone. She couldn't remember her emotion when she found out he was alive. She had slapped him, to be sure, but that didn't mean she _hated_ him.

Why didn't he remember? Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he never felt that way about her. But when she considered that option, why did she get such a horrible feeling in her stomach?

She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

*\/*

"You have failed me, Icedevimon."

"I apologize, master. But please, give me one more chance to redeem myself."

"Are you certain that you targeted the correct child?"

"I am positive."

"Then why did she give such a reaction?"

"My guess is that she did not wish for the other Digidestined to know of her true identity. But if I managed to corner her by herself, then she will cave. I know it."

Icedvimon's cocked his head thoughtfully. "Perhaps," he said. "Very well, then. I will grant you one more chance. However, we can't afford more mistakes. Both the Digidestined and Shikumon are now aware that we are invading. You will not go alone."

"Of course, master."

The master waved his hand. "Ogremon, come forth!"

Icedevimon shot his head up. "Sir, Ogremon is not entirely capable of…"

"That is for me to decide," his master said sharply.

Ogremon stepped out of the shadows. "Greetings, oh great one," he said. Icedevimon rolled his eyes.

"Accompany Icedevimon on his quest to locate Shikumon. You did tell me once that you and her were acquaintances years ago, correct?"

"I wouldn't say 'acquaintances' so much as 'extremely bitter enemies.'"

"But you had contact with her?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"That said, you shall accompany Icedevimon in his quest to capture her. You are the only one of my servants who has ever had previous contact with Shikumon. I expect you will be most helpful in this mission."

"Oh, yeah! Real helpful! That's me!"

Icedevimon groaned. "Come on, then. Let's get this over with."


	7. The Rude Awakening

Disclaimer: Save a few, these characters are not mine. But you already knew that, right?

*\/*

The next day, Daisuke, Miyako, Iori, Hikari, and Takeru stood in a huddle in front of the school. Then, Daisuke noticed Kyoko walking towards them. Yesterday, she had looked like a mess. Even though he had visited her in the afternoon, she had still been wearing her pajamas, and her hair had been full of tangles. Today, she was dressed in the same clean shirt and skirt that she wore every day. She had brushed her hair to look straight and shiny, like it usually did.

Mikado noticed it too. He recalled her childhood, when he had propped her in front of the mirror like a doll, making her look beautiful, making her look _perfect_. She was perfection. She was his perfection.

Even though she had cleaned herself up, she still didn't regain her previous facial expression. Her tone was solemn, and her eyes looked like they had been cast in pure darkness.

She approached the Digidestined, raising her head slightly to speak. "You all like to congregate in the computer lab, right?" she asked them.

"Yes," answered Takeru.

"Today, after school, please meet me there."

The looked puzzled. "Um…what?" asked Miyako.

Kyoko sighed impatiently. "It's not that complicated of a request, is it? Today, when the final bell rings, you guys will go to the computer lab. We'll all be there. Ken too."

"Ken doesn't go to this school," Daisuke pointed out.

"I know. Call him, please. Tell him to come over as quickly as possible. I need to…we need to talk. All of us. There are things that you need to know, and it concerns you all. It includes Ken, so he definitely needs to be there."

"But, why do we have to call him?" Iori asked with a tone of distrust.

Kyoko's head turned slightly towards Mikado, who stood at the other edge of the courtyard. He was staring at them out of the corner of his eyes. "Because I have other business to attend to," she replied. Daisuke noticed that her hands grasped her book bag tighter.

"Right, sure, we'll give Ken a call," Daisuke said.

Kyoko bowed. "Thank you."

Without another word to the children, she turned on her heals and sprinted over to Mikado. He looked up at her with a small nod.

"Can you come to the computer lab after school today?" she asked him.

"What for?"

"I have something to tell you…to tell everyone. I need you to hear it, but it's so long, I'd rather tell everyone at once."

"I'll come as quickly as I can."

"I suggest you do. It concerns you especially."

*\/*

Mikado was the last to arrive to the lab. The Digidestined had all gathered with their respective Digimon. They were standing before Kyoko as though she was about to give a long speech.

Kyoko's lips twitched slightly when Mikado entered the room. "For someone who is right in the building, it took you awhile to get to this room. Did you get lost?"

"I had paperwork."

She shrugged. "Fine, then."

"So, go on," Miyako said impatiently. "What did you want to tell us?"

Kyoko sighed. "I came to tell you all the story of how I woke up, and what I saw."

*\/*

Kyoko was lying in the cave. There was pain. Intense pain. Why?

"No, God, no!" she screamed. Her head hurt. Her eyes were closed. She was still half-asleep, still dreaming.

Upon realizing that the pain she was feeling was indeed real, though brief, she opened her eyes. She could see her surroundings clearly. Too clearly, in fact. It meant that she was awake, fully awake. She threw herself back onto the ground. How long had it been since she had fallen asleep?

Try as she might, she just couldn't fall back asleep. It had been so easy before.

"Damn," she muttered. With a defeated sigh, she stood up and stumbled towards the cave's entrance. The boulder she had pushed in front of it was still there. When she had first arrived at the cave, it had been so easy to push it. But now, even though she had been hibernating, storing up her energy, it took all of her strength just to move it far enough to step through.

Kyoko recoiled at the sunlight. It was a small wonder, since she hadn't seen it in so long. She was standing in front of a river. Across the river she could see a forest. She didn't have the energy left to turn into Shikumon, or she would have flown across. The air was so clean, so beautiful. How could such pain exist within this beauty? It was a pain so intense that it had woken her from the deepest slumber of her life. She needed to know what it was.

But before she could even begin her journey down the riverbank, her body collapsed. She fell to her knees, weak with hunger.

She managed to crawl over to a bush with some berries on them. They didn't look poisonous, not that it mattered. Kyoko's body was immune to poison, Vandemon had assured her that it was.

_Vandemon…Daddy…where are you?_ she thought. But she knew where he was: nowhere. Now, more clearly than ever, she saw the vision of his death in her head. Angewomon…no, Tailmon. He had died before her very eyes, and what's more, at the hands of her only friend. Tailmon had betrayed her. Vandemon was dead. And Kyoko…Kyoko was alone. She didn't need to be reminded of this, not now.

Her stomach grumbled. It reminded her that this wasn't the time to be crying. She pulled a few berries off the bush and stuffed them in her mouth. They were sweet. She wouldn't have cared if they were dried and rotten.

She caught sight of her reflection in the water, gasping at what she saw. Her outfit was torn, because she had grown so much. Her hair had grown down to her knees. She was older. She had definitely been asleep for more than a few months.

Suddenly, from behind her, she heard a great splash. Her head jerked around. A great giant whale-like Digimon was swimming towards her.

"Ahoy, there!" it yelled.

Kyoko stood up. Her strength had been restored somewhat. "Hello," she said as politely as she could.

"You're a Digidestined, aren't you?" he asked her.

Was she? "Um…yes."

"Where's your Digimon?"

"He's…he's dead." She stumbled over her own words.

"Oh. Well, probably not."

She stared at him. "What?"

"Haven't you heard of The Village of Beginnings?"

"It sounds familiar."

"When a Digimon is destroyed, they're usually reborn there. I can take you there, if you'd like."

Would he have been reborn? It was unlikely, but it didn't hurt to look. "Ok, thanks."

"Hop on," he said. "By the way, my name's Whamon."

"I'm Kyoko," she said quickly, climbing onto his back. Directly after that, her mind ran through the possibility that in the time she had been asleep, word of her connection with Vandemon had spread. Worse still, what if more Digimon had found out that Shikumon was more than just a legend, and they knew the name of her other body?

"Kyoko, huh?" Whamon didn't sound concerned.

"Yeah."

"You look like you've been through a rough time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your clothes are all tattered. Plus, you've got a lot of dirt on you."

The dirt had probably come from sleeping in a cave. "Rough time. Yeah."

"Too bad."

"Yeah," she muttered. "Too bad."

For a moment, there was a silence between them. Then, Kyoko realized that she could use him to her advantage.

"You've heard of Vandemon, right?"

"Yes, of course. Gave those Digidestined quite a battle some years back."

She froze at his words. "Y-years? How many years?"

"Oh, about four, I'd say."

"Four? God…"

"Something wrong?"

"No, no. It's fine. Everything's just fine."

"Glad to hear it. Why'd you ask, anyway?"

"I don't know. I was just…just curious."

"Well, here we are." He stopped at the shore.

"Where's the village?"

"It's just through the clearing. I can't take you farther than this."

"'Course not." She climbed off. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem. See you around."

"Yeah, see you."

The Village of Beginnings was certainly different from anything else she had ever seen. It looked like a giant playroom. The entire ground was lined with eggs and baby Digimon in tiny cradles. She wandered around, vaguely aware of the tiny eyes staring at her.

How would she recognize Vandemon's egg? Would it be black? Would it have skulls?

"Hi there!" exclaimed one of the babies, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned her head to it. It was a Botamon. "Hello," she replied.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Kyoko." She kneeled down to its level. "How are you?"

"I'm great!"

She smiled. "That's nice."

"You!" screamed a voice from behind her. A tiny Punimon was glaring at her from a few feet away. "I know you!"

"From where?"

"You work for Vandemon! You've grown, but it's definitely you!"

"I don't."

"You do so! I know it, because he trained Shikumon, but Shikumon was really Kyoko! I heard stories! They said you were dead!"

"Well, then, obviously, I must be a different Kyoko."

"No! They said she went around in a school uniform. You're her! You're definitely her!"

She stood up. "I only came to look for something. I really don't want to start anything."

"You prey on innocent Digimon for their blood!"

"Occasionally, yes, but I…"

"How do we know that you don't want to hurt us?"

"Well, I don't plan on staying long."

"Yeah, right!" the Punimon scoffed. "Help! Elecmon! Help!"

"Oh, crap…" Kyoko muttered.

Elecmon came running from the distance. "What? What is it?"

Punimon nudged itself towards Kyoko. "She's gonna hurt us!"

Elecmon turned on her. "Who are you?" he asked with distrust.

"I'm Kyoko."

"She's really Shikumon!"

"Shikumon? But Shikumon is just a legend, Punimon."

"It's not! It's not! It's really her! She said so!"

"Did you say it to them?"

She couldn't stand to lie. "Yes."

"Why would you say it?"

"Because it's true." Curse her honesty.

Elecmon's eyes grew wide with anger. "Well, then, Shikumon, if you're half as powerful as I've heard, and half as dangerous, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave…now, before I get angry."

"I'm looking for something. It will only take a moment, but I can't leave yet."

"Leave. Now."

"I can't."

His body shook with rage. "You asked for it, then! Super Thunder Strike!"

Kyoko was thrown back by his attack. This body was not built to endure that kind of attack. As she licked the blood from her lips, she felt her body turning into Shikumon. By the time she had managed to stand up, she was no longer Kyoko. "Fine then," she said softly. "If that's truly the way you want to play it. You're just lucky that I'm not in a killing mood." 

She pulled the two silver razors from the pouch around her waist and threw it at Elecmon. Several bloody gashes appeared on his stomach.

"Now, then," she said, "I seem to have established the fact that you're not meant to deal with me. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt your little babies. I just want to look for something, and then I'll be gone."

"Fine," he spat. "But make it quick."

She walked around the village, unsure of what exactly it was she needed to spot. There was nothing special about any of the eggs, nothing to indicate that it was the one she wanted.

"There's nothing," she said to Elecmon. "I'm sorry I was so rash."

He glared at her, but didn't say anything.

Shikumon flew into the sky. Her clothes still fit, even though this body had definitely grown.

She didn't know where she was heading. There was no destination. In the past, she hadn't ventured much around the Digital World. Vandemon had always kept her close to his castle.

She landed in a small town that was almost literally in the middle of nowhere. She recognized it, though. The crest of the eighth child had been hidden here. It was she who had retrieved it for Vandemon. She wondered if Starmon and Revolermon were still around.

As she landed, she took the form of Kyoko once more and then walked into the saloon. Starmon stood behind the counter, polishing a glass. He looked up at her. "Hey, ain't I seen you someplace before, missy?"

"Yeah, you did."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Those clothes look mighty familiar."

"Everyone seems to recognize them. Can I get a glass of something? Anything?"

He poured her a glass of milk, but didn't take his eyes off her. Revolermon entered the saloon.

"Her, Revolermon!" shouted Starmon. "Don't she look like someone we seen before?" He pointed to Kyoko.

Revolermon put his hand on his gun. "'Course she does. That's the girl that went and stole the crest we were guarding!"

"Hey, yeah!"

"Look, I don't want any trouble. I'm sorry. Daddy…I mean, Vandemon, told me to do things and I did them. But he's gone now. I don't want to take anything. I just wanna talk."

Starmon narrowed his eyes. "'Bout what?"

"I don't know, exactly. But I missed a lot while I was in that coma."

"So, that's where you disappeared to, is it?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's that Kaiser…"

Kyoko choked on her milk. "That _what_?"

"The Digimon Kaiser. He had these dark rings…"

"Dark _what_?"

"Dark rings. He used them to control Digimon. Got a hold of me, once, he did."

"The Digimon Kaiser…what was his real name?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. Do you remember what it was, Revolermon?"

"Nope."

She stood up. "Was it…was it Ken?"

"You know, I think it was!"

"No. Oh, no. And he's still out there? Still terrorizing the Digital World?"

"Actually, that's what I came to tell you about, Starmon," said Revolermon. "It's over."

"Huh? Over?"

"Those Digidestined just defeated him. He's a goner."

Kyoko was stunned. "He…he's dead?"

"No, just defeated, far as I could find out."

"What about the dark rings?"

"What about 'em?"

"How did he make them?"

"Well, I don't rightly know."

"I…thanks. I have to go now." Kyoko started towards the door.

"Where you going?"

"There…there's something I need to take a look at."

"Hey, come back again and visit us sometime, right? So long as you're not trying to kill us or nothing."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll come by. Thanks for your help." She smiled faintly at the two of them and ran out the door. She turned into Shikumon while she was still running, which allowed her to fly off into the sky with incredible speed.

Now she had a destination: her old home. She managed to find her way there after several wrong turns. After all, it had been years since she had navigated her way around the Digital World.

Finally, she saw it. Although, from above, it was hardly the way she remembered it. She remembered a castle, a huge castle, in fact. It could be seen clearly from the sky. It had been magnificent, unchallenged.

Now? Now, it was a pile of rubble. An impressively large pile of rubble, to be certain, but still, a pile of rubble. Not even a shadow of what it once was.

She landed gracefully on top of it, then turned back into Kyoko. There was no need to waste her energy with Shikumon's body.

She wandered around the boulders that had made up the walls of Vandemon's castle. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Where was her room? Where was the door post where Vandemon had been measuring how tall she'd gotten? Where were the books that she used to read? Where had it all _gone?_

There were things buried underneath the piles, but nothing she cared about. She walked in the direction of where she thought her room had been located.

Then she saw it, buried underneath a molehill of small stones. She kicked them aside and picked up an old tattered teddy bear.

She hugged it tightly. This was all that was left, wasn't it?

No, there was more. She had seen it. She had just been too selfish to care. She would save it all. If it took her days, she would uncover anything that could be salvaged. She would find a place for them all, she would…

"So, this is the famous daughter of the dark lord, is it?"

She looked up. Before her stood a woman dressed in a tight magenta dress. Her long, gray hair hung neatly at her sides. She was smirking at Kyoko with her gloved arms crossed.

"I was told you'd be here," she said, "but I never imagined you'd be so…unimpressive. From what he told me, you'd be a fearsome creature to behold."

Kyoko scowled at the woman. "I can be. Who are you?"

"My name is Arachnemon. And may I presume that you are the child of Vandemon?"

"Don't you know my name?"

"Kyoko, was it?"

"Yes. Who's 'he?' Who sent you?"

"My boss. He told me that you had awaken, whatever that meant. He said you'd be in the rubble of your father's castle, most likely. I have heard a lot about Vandemon, to be certain, but until just recently, I never knew he had raised a child. And I found it out from Oikawa, no less. He's never even been to the Digital World. "

Kyoko's head jerked at his name. She knew him…there, in the cemetery. His friend was dead, and Oikawa…Oikawa was dying, in his own way.

"How do you know Oikawa?"

"He's my boss. I told you."

"How does he know about me?"

"No idea. But he sent me to retrieve you. He said that he may have something of interest to you."

This wasn't Oikawa. The man she remembered had been sweet, sensitive. The Digimon he had sent after her was evil, devious. He would not send this monster, not if he were the real Oikawa. No, it was the man she saw in her premonition, the man she had hoped would never come into being.

"Do you know what he wants?"

Arachnemon sighed, obviously exasperated. "No, now would you please come?"

"First, does Oikawa know about the dark rings?"

Arachnemon laughed. "Who doesn't, especially him? He created them. And Ken thinks he thought of it all by his little self. Ha! The only thing that boy was good for was building my precious control spires."

"That's wrong. Oikawa didn't think of them…"

"Oh?" she spat. "How would you know that?"

"They were daddy's," Kyoko said darkly, "and don't you dare try to say otherwise."

Arachnemon smirked. "Really?"

"I don't know what Oikawa wants with me, but if I'm going to see him, it's not going to be with you."

"Oh, dear. He told me you may not like me."

"Who was Ken to you?"

"We're back on him again? Well, all right. He was my experiment. There was a device implemented into his head to make him more…compliant. He was already easy to break, ever since his brother died."

"No…God, no…" Everything Kyoko had seen was coming true.

"Ironic isn't it, that the boy possesses the Crest of Kindness?"

"But you lost control of him, didn't you?"

"Yes. Just a few hours ago, in fact. He reformed when his Digimon was destroyed. Such pain, such sorrow."

"Pain and sorrow…she knew what it felt to lose someone so close to you. She knew the pain of watching it happen. It had been intense, a blast and then nothingness. Gone…just like that. Ken had felt that pain.

Was that the pain that woke Kyoko up?

She shivered.

Oikawa knew something. He had something, there was no doubt about that. But she couldn't find out what it was, not yet, and especially not if it meant she had to be catered there by this…thing. This was not a Digimon. This was not a human.

"What are you?"

"I told you, my name is Arachnemon."

"What are you?" she repeated the question with fierceness.

"Would you like to see?" Arachnemon asked with a taunt in her voice. Before Kyoko's eyes, she turned into a monster.

A Digimon.

She and Kyoko were the same.

For some reason, this made Kyoko very angry. She jumped, turning into Shikumon while she was still in midair. Before Arachnemon realized what was happening, Shikumon had pinned her to the ground.

"You tell _Oikawa_ that if he wants to talk to me, it'll be on my time. In the meantime, he'd better come up with a believable story. How did you get like this?"

"Like what?" Arachnemon asked, struggling in Shikumon's tight grip.

"Why do you have a human form?"

"I don't know! That's just the way Oikawa created us!"

"Us? What do you mean, us?"

"Mummymon and I. Oikawa created us both."  
"How could Oikawa create such complex creatures meant for this world, when he's never even _been_ here?"

"I don't know! Get off me!"

"No. I'm hungry, you know. And you look awfully delicious. Now, hold still."

Arachnemon's eyes grew wide with fear. Shikumon was looking at her with fearsome hunger. She exposed her long fangs and sank them into Arachnemon's neck. The spider shrieked with pain and terror. "No! No, please!"

The more blood flowed into Shikumon's mouth, the less she wanted to release her captive. She wouldn't kill her. No, no, that would be very bad. She needed Arachnemon to tell Oikawa all those lovely, threatening things. But the blood was so delicious. She had been wandering in the desert so long without a drink, and now she wished it never stopped raining. It was raining blood.

Finally, she released Arachnemon, whose face had somewhat paled, but she would live.

Gasping and coughing, Arachnemon stood up. Shikumon kneeled before her, staring at her darkly.

"You can go to Oikawa, and you can tell him that I do remember him, but I can't see him just yet. He'll have to wait, and if he doesn't wish to do so, well, he'll have to wait anyway. I _will_ be coming to him, make no mistake about that. Tell him what I did to you. He needs to be prepared for how…unpredictable I am."

Arachnemon was gasping for air. "A mere child!" she stammered. "The very idea!"

"You're obviously younger than me. Oikawa hadn't created you when I met him. The man I knew would never create something so _vile_." She spat the last word with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

Arachnemon stared at her with amazement. She reverted back to her human form, keeping one hand on her bleeding neck at all times.

"Don't forget all of the stuff I told you," Shikumon said innocently.

"I won't," Arachnemon said with anger. Then, she ran into the distance.

Shikumon continued to watch Arachnemon until she wasn't even a dot in the distance. Her face was expressionless. She turned her body around and saw the stuffed bear that she had dropped. Without so much as a blink, she threw herself onto the ground so that she could grab it. She pulled the bear close to her body and let the tears fall freely down her cheeks. But she wasn't crying.


End file.
